Black Union
by NavyWriterChic
Summary: When she is abandoned by those that she loves, Victoria Nelson has nowhere to turn. Perfect opportunity for Asteroth to take his prey and use it to his advantage. Will Victoria choose the correct path or will his hold upon her be too powerful to bear?
1. Chapter 1 -- Be mine

_Welcome to a piece of work that has been sitting in the dark depths of my hard drive and is crawling to the surface. I have been listening and watching the videos and I thought, "Oh what the heck." Let's post it here._

 _Please enjoy! If you recall from the end of episode 10, Asteroth has found a way into human form and both Mike Celluci and Henry Fitzroy have turned against our heroine because of the choice she made. Now she is truly alone._

 _See what happens!_

* * *

 **Chapter One: Be mine**

 _Nelson Investigations_

The evening led onward as the night came alive with all that hunted upon the innocent while Victoria Nelson returned to her office for the night. She had been up for several days without rest in trying to locate Asteroth who had possessed the body of Father Cascioli. Finally, her body could no longer take the abuse. She came

She only took off her turtleneck and jeans and tossed them to the floor before collapsing onto her pulled out couch bed.

She needed to make sure that she could simply get dressed and continue in her search for Asteroth and destroy him.

Vicki had told Coreen to wake her before dawn when she returned to the office to wake her.

But her sleep held her tightly in its grasp and her dreams took control of the mind.

* * *

 _Dream-state_

Victoria Nelson awoke when she saw that it was light that was shining in her face. She stretched out, but was suddenly upset when she saw that it was almost five in the evening.

"Coreen," she called. "Coreen, you were supposed to wake me up at dawn."

She bent down to reach for her clothes when she stared out the window.

It was not light out.

Toronto was on fire.

There was fire all around the city as buildings burned and fell while she could hear people screaming in her ears.

Her building was not burning, but she could feel the intense heat all around her.

"Coreen!" she shouted.

"She is not here Vicki," she heard a familiar voice call out to her.

Vicki turned and saw her mother standing in the doorway.

"Mom," she said her name.

"You are the gateway Vicki," she heard and saw Coreen standing now beside her mother.

"What has gotten into you two?" she said as she backed away.

"You can't defeat him Vick," she heard Mike's voice say as she backed into his body. "You are the key to ending all the pain."

"What are you talking about?" Vicki demanded to know.

* * *

 _Real world_

"What are you talking about?" her sleeping form whispered out loud to the empty room.

But she was not alone.

Raymond Cascioli walked into the bedroom and observed the object of his lust lying there on the bed. He smoothed his tender finger across her leg that was uncovered from the thin sheet. Her skin was delicate and smooth, covered in sweat from the heat she was enveloped in.

It was his dream world that he had trapped her in, forcing her to submit to him. She and her assistant had been tracking him for several months now, but he needed to gain his strength before he came for her.

Now was that time.

He crawled over across the bed and hovered over her body and smoothed back a lock of her hair from the front of her face.

"Come to me Vicki," he whispered to her.

* * *

 _Dream-state_

"Come to me Vicki," she heard another familiar voice say to her.

Vicki turned and saw the object of her anger and hate: Asteroth in the form of Raymond Cascioli standing there behind her. Suddenly, her friends and family were gone; leaving the two of them there.

"You are even more beautiful in here than you are in the real world," he told her.

She was confused. Was this her dream or was she awake and he was playing with her?

She reached down and grabbed her asp on the floor, snapping it open so she could use it. "You want me, come and get me!" she cried out.

With a quick wave of his hand, the asp was thrown across the room and pierced the wall.

"I was never much for toys in the bedroom," he joked with her.

"You're not going to be much when I am done with you," she dared him and tried to attack with her hands.

Cascioli was too fast for and merely toyed, by holding her wrists in his hands.

"Don't you understand Vicki," he told her. "I don't want to hurt you."

"Yeah, I'm sure you say that to all the girls before you kill them," she told him.

* * *

 _Real-world_

Cascioli seductively moved aside the sheet that covered her body and took her cursed wrists in his hands. He pinned her to the bed as he waited for the apparition in her dream to get her to say the words that he wanted to hear.

Only then, would he take her.

"You're the only one I want now Vicki," he whispered to her.

* * *

 _Dream-state_

"You're the only one I want now Vicki," Cascioli told her. He pinned her to the wall of her room, feeling the heat as a fire no doubt burned behind her. "All you have to say is yes, and you can stop everything from happening this way. Stop all this destruction. Stop all the death. Stop all the suffering…especially your family and friends."

Vicki looked behind him and could see Mike, Coreen, and her mother all trapped within the next room as they were suffering.

They were trapped and burning alive in the flames that she had seen outside earlier. All of them screamed and tried to save one another.

"No!" she howled, but the demon grabbed her into a bear hug and held her against his body. She was forced to watch as those she cared about died before her eyes.

"You can end this Vicki," he told her. "Just one little commitment to me and I promise you, no harm will come to them."

"Never!" she shouted. "I can't! I won't."

"Is this what you want?" he asked her, shaking her in the hug as if to harm her. "Do you want to lose everyone? You have already lost Henry. Do you want to lose them too?"

"Henry?" she repeated his name.

* * *

 _Real-world_

"Henry?" her body repeated.

 _It was working_ , he thought. _Just the mentioning of the vampire that had abandoned her would be the final tip of the scales to seal her to him for all eternity_.

His plan was only possible if she was alongside him. He needed her to succeed.

"Yes, your vampire lover…he has abandoned you," he told her. "Now all you have is family…"

* * *

 _Dream-state_

"…and without them, what is there worth fighting for anymore?" he told her.

She could see the image of Henry Fitzroy as he stared at her.

"Henry," she called out to him.

Henry turned and walked away from her, vanishing into a burst of flame.

"Henry, don't leave me!" she cried out, but he did not come back.

Victoria began to cry in his embrace. Her legs became weak and he struggled to hold her up, but he did keep her standing.

"Say it Victoria," he whispered in her ear. He used a hand to outstretch her arm where they could see her icon. It glowed with him touching her, but faded. "Say it and I will grant you the power to protect those that you love."

He felt her tears rush down her eyes while holding her face in his hands.

She looked again at the vision of her family dying was slowly vanishing away.

The flames ignited her mother, Coreen, and Mike and she howled in agony. It was as he wanted her to do.

"All right!" she screamed.

Cascioli spun her around sharply and stared into her eyes. "Say it Victoria," he said. "Say to me that you are mine and I am yours, from now to eternity."

* * *

 _Real-world_

"You are mine and I am yours," he watched her whisper towards him.

"Yes," he longed for her to finish the statement. "Say it."

"From now until eternity," Vicki finished the statement.

"YES!" he cried out and plunged his hand deep into her abdomen.

Her body cried out at the shock, but it was necessary in order to ensure he got what he wanted.

* * *

 _Dream-state_

Vicki Nelson noticed the fire instantly cease from the city and the world was restored to its former self. The people that had been burning filled the streets and her family members were standing there with smiles on their faces.

All was normal again.

* * *

 _Real-world_

Cascioli pulled out a glowing blue essence from Vicki's body and retracted his hand from her abdomen. It was a magical vortex that granted him access to her soul. With her permission to be his, he was granted access to every part of her.

The light became a crystal ball and he gently placed it into his jacket pocket.

Vicki suddenly sat up, wrapping her arms around him as she breathed heavily; trying to regain her balance.

"It's all right my love," he whispered to her. He held her gently in his arms, feeling her perspiration covered and trembling skin. "It was all a bad dream, you are safe now."

She pulled back to look at him. Her eyes examined and scanned him as a hand slowly made its way up to stroke his cheekbone.

"What is it?" he asked her.

"Nothing," she replied. "It's just…"

"It's just what?"

Suddenly, she thrusted herself at him to kiss him with her full force possible.

He had not experienced this type of passion before, but returned her force with his in his own. He pulled one of her legs up behind him and could quite possibly have her in this instant.

He however restrained himself and pulled back from her.

"All in due time my love," he told her tenderly, smoothing her hair back. "All in due time." He left one gentle kiss on her mouth.

As he brought her against his body, he could foresee that he was about to have everything that he desired: the world gone to Hell and Victoria Nelson to bear his demonic children…

…and no one would be able to stop them.

* * *

 _Before anyone writes and reports about plagiarism, let me dispel the rumor. I **AM THE WRITER** who wrote on Retrogression when Blood Ties was at its peak and beyond. I assure you, I have the work on my drive saved and dated. I just finally decided that since I cannot seem to find the time to write new stuff, I would post stuff that already exists. Please feel free to let me know what you think of this story as it will determine if it stays up and if the rest of the series makes it way online as well._


	2. Chapter 2 - Terminated

_I figured since I posted Chapter One, I would post two as well. It really will gauge whether or not I keep posting the text or the rest of the 10 story arc that this series is._

 _Please make sure to review._

* * *

 **Chapter Two: Terminated**

 _The following morning_

Coreen Fennel walked down the street in the darkness with her purse tight to her chest and a carrier with two coffees in it. It was still before twilight, but that was when Vicki wanted her to come back and wake her up.

It had been another long week since they had begun their violent campaign against Asteroth, but Vicki was determined to seal the demon away.

She was hoping in the long term that it would bring Henry Fitzroy back from Vancouver to Toronto and reclaim his territory and the love that he and Vicki shared.

She walked up the steps and was near the door when her cell-phone started ringing. She reached for it and saw that it was Michael Celluci calling. "Hey Mike," she answered.

* * *

 _Mike Celluci's apartment_

"Hey Coreen," Michael Celluci answered as he was cleaning up his flat. He was making sure that he all the items for his formal dress uniform to send to the dry-cleaners. "How are you guys doing?"

" _We're OK_ ," she said. " _Just coming back to the office to wake up to Vicki. We came back about eleven last night and she wanted to be woken up around sunrise so we could keep looking for Asteroth_."

"How goes the demon hunting?" he said, locating his pants and folding them up.

" _We have been checking out all the gothic nightclubs and strange occurrences, with nothing panning out so far_ ," her voice told him, but he could hear her reaching for keys. " _Hopefully, Asteroth or Cascioli, whatever he wants to be called, has skipped town_."

"Not likely," he replied. "He'll be around for some time. As long as I can get back on the force and clear my name, he can do whatever he wants so we can join together and take him down."

* * *

 _Nelson Investigations_

"I agree," Coreen replied as she headed inside. "When does your hearing take place?"

" _Week from this Friday_ ," Mike replied as she set the coffees down on the desk. " _I have to file some paperwork today with the court to adjourn the Court of Executives and call a hearing. A bunch of papers to file all to clear my name_."

Coreen heard the shower water running.

"Well, if you need Vicki and I, you know where to find us," she said.

" _I'll take you both up on it_ ," he replied. " _Listen, I have to go. I'll call you guys later_."

"Talk to you soon," she replied and hung up the phone. She removed her cape and draped it across her chair before proceeding into Vicki's office.

When she entered, she did notice the steam coming from the bathroom. "Vicki," she called.

She approached the door and knocked.

"Vicki," she called her name into the bathroom.

There was no response.

Coreen opened the door quickly and saw her boss smoothing a pick through her hair that was filled with soft curls.

"Hey, didn't you hear me calling for you?" she asked.

"Sorry, I did not hear you," Vicki replied.

"Did you know that you left the shower running and you're not in it?" she told her.

"Rinsing something down the drain," Vicki replied, not stopping from primping her hair.

Coreen noticed that she was paying careful attention to how she looked. She was wearing a light coating of makeup with her newly curled hair, but that was not the most shocking. What was shocking was the black silk top that plunged deep down her front.

She could see her bellybutton, but fine silver chains stretched across to sort of keep the slit closed.

"I'm going to leave you alone to get ready," she said and started walking out. "We do need to get going to search for…"

"Looking for me?" a male voice said to her as she froze in her steps.

She had failed to notice that the water shut off during their conversation.

Coreen slowly turned and there was Cascioli or Asteroth as he stood there from exiting the shower only wearing a pair of black jeans with a towel around his neck. He was drying off from being in the shower.

Vicki turned around and now both of them were staring at her in a way that made her feel very uncomfortable.

"Vicki…what is going on?" she demanded to know.

"Nothing is going on Coreen," her boss or who she hoped was her boss. "I've just come to a new realization as it is foolhardy to continue in this pursuit of the demon. You're just going to have to accept that."

She was stepping backward and found Vicki's desk. Her hands were near a dagger that was on display on the stand and she was trying to get her fingers around it.

"What have you done to her demon?" Coreen demanded to know.

"I have only showed her what means the most to her and to help her to realize what she should be doing," he told her. "Victoria is here all on her own," he added as he smoothed a couple fingers down her cheek. "You should be happy that she cares about you so much to cross over."

"Then I guess I am going to have to save her instead of the other way around," she snapped as she grabbed the dagger and charged toward the demon.

Vicki stepped forward with her hand and suddenly, she was frozen in place.

Her boss then pulled back with her arm, pulling her closer to her and then whipped her through the open doorway and toward her desk. She was sprawled across it, spilling the open coffees before she fell toward the floor.

Coreen recovered, trying to wipe away the hot liquid from her skin and watched as Vicki and the demon walked out. She was able to see the dress portion that Vicki was wearing. The slit went all the way to her hip with a single chain keeping it together.

"Why are you doing this Vicki?" she shouted.

Vicki looked at her with a blank stare. "You shouldn't be such an ungrateful child Coreen," she said before she walked out her office door. "Accept this," she said before shutting the door.

Asteroth was buttoning up a shirt to wear outside the office, snickering as Vicki walked out of her office and Coreen Fennel's life for good.

"What have you done to her?" the mortal begged to know.

He turned back and squatted to be next to her. "What I always do girl," he said to her. "Twist the truth to get what I desire. Now I have it." He stood back up.

"No matter what it takes," the gothic girl said to him, "I will find away to send you back to hell."

Cascioli reached for a candle that was burning on the filing cabinet. He stared at it for a minute before looking back to the girl on the floor.

"Then consider yourself fired," he said before tossing the candle onto her cloak that was draped over her chair.

Coreen rushed over to her cloak, grabbed water bottles from the fridge, and tried using a broom with the water to slap out the flames.

She was able to put them out and took off out the door, leapt down the stairs, and made her way out to the street.

A black limousine squealed its tires as it raced away down the street.

She only assumed that it was the vehicle that Vicki and Asteroth were in as it left her behind.

She felt helpless and ran back inside to get her purse. She needed to get help.

* * *

 _Whew! What a chapter. Where is this story going to go from here? Please review._


	3. Chapter 3 -- There goes the neighborhood

_Where will Coreen go for help? We will have to see. Please enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter Three: There goes the neighborhood**

 _Toronto Metro Central Police Department_

Mike Celluci stood before the Executive member of Internal Affairs as he signed his life away on the final form to convene the council to hear his case. It was among the insurmountable amount of forms that he was being forced to fill out.

But if he wanted his job back, he was going to have to finish the paperwork to get the hearing. It sounded like he was going need his job and its "authorities" in order to help Vicki.

He wanted to help them get the demon, especially with Fitzroy being gone; Vicki and Coreen were going need his help.

The IA agent looked to the papers and his signature. "OK, it looks like you have a hearing," he stated.

"Thank God," Mike replied. "So is there anything that I should bring to the hearing to plead my case?"

"I would bring any evidence of your record in the department and anyone to testify on your behalf to clear your name. The Council will want as much as you can bear and will take all of it into advisement."

"How many of these things have you been through?" he asked.

"This is my first," the agent replied, "but there have been many more before you. Oh, make sure you're in your dress uniform for the meeting. It looks more respectful."

"You don't understand!" they both heard a voice shouting from the main desk. "I need to find Lieutenant Mike Celluci! It's an emergency!"

"He's not with the department anymore ma'am," the desk clerk replied. "You need to…"

"No! He is supposed to be here. Don't you people understand? My friend has been abducted!"

Mike walked out of the IA office and saw that it was Coreen that was shouting. She was out of breath and in tears about her friend.

It had to be about Vicki to get her wound up like that.

"Coreen," Mike said.

She locked eyes with him and he came out from behind the secured area and tried to calm her.

"We have to find Vicki!" she cried hysterically.

"OK, OK, calm down Coreen," he tried calming her down. "Do you have a place where I can take her?" he asked Agent Myers from IA.

"There's no time," she shouted. "Vicki's been taken by Asteroth!"

That got his attention.

"When?" he asked.

* * *

His former partner Dave Graham was more than willing to allow Mike to use the conference room to keep Coreen and her hysterics muted from the public.

After drinking some water, she did indeed calm down, but was still trembling.

Crowley watched no doubt from the other side of the mirrored wall to their entire conversation. They would have to speak in euphemisms in order to figure out what had happened to Vicki.

"OK, when did you notice that something was off with Vicki?" Mike asked her.

"This morning when I got to the office," she told him after swallowing a glass of water. "She was in the bathroom primping. When have you ever known Vicki to be primping to go demon hunting?"

"Euphemisms," he reminded her.

"Right," she replied. "Anyway, she was getting ready and the shower was running with her not in it and that was when Cascioli walked out as though he was just cleaning up after sleeping with Vicki."

"Did he?" Mike asked in shock.

"I don't know," she told him. "All I know is is Vicki attacked me. I tried to stab Asteroth and she used some sort of telekinetic power to keep me at bay. Then she used it to throw me through the open door and over the desk."

"Wait a second," Mike interrupted her. "Vicki threw you across the room with not so much as touching you?"

"That's it."

The door opened up and Crowley walked in. "OK, I have heard enough nonsense for one day," the police captain said in her stern voice. "You are not supposed to be in here Celluci as per your suspension. You and your friend need to leave this office, now."

The door opened again and there was Dave. "Hey Mike," he said.

"You need to leave now Detective Graham," Crowley ordered of him. "I am in the middle of a discussion."

"I'm sorry, but I think you are going to want to see this," he told them. "Vicki is on television."

Mike ran out, lightly shoving Crowley and Coreen was right behind him.

They walked to the monitor room where cops and detectives were all gathered as a press reporter along with a throng of others were outside the CN Tower that was being evacuated.

"Our sources are confirming the purchase of Toronto's premier tourist attraction, the CN Tower, by a new private financier," the reporter said. "The total of the sale of the tower pays off the existing loan when the tower was initially built and then and extra fifty million dollars to the city, a much needed boost to the struggling economy. Oh wait, here is the buyer now, pulling up in a black limo."

Coreen gasped when she saw which limo it was. "That's them," she pointed to everyone.

And indeed Mike did recognize the man who was formerly Father Raymond Cascioli climb out of the limousine and lightly told the reporters to stand back. He reached into the car and a hand took it.

Vicki indeed, as Coreen had descried how she looked when she had been at the office, as was with a smile on her face. Cascioli wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close to him.

"Excuse me, excuse me," the reporter initially charged through to get a statement. "Sir, why did you purchase the CN Tower when it is normally considered to be a tourist attraction? Comments?"

"It is all quite simple actually," Cascioli was telling the reporters. "I am looking for the highest point in which to see the world and this was the place where I decided to put my palace." He looked down to Vicki in his arm. "Can you honestly see this beautiful woman not living in anything better?"

"What are your plans sir?" the reporter asked.

"Well, we are going to get moved in once the mortals are removed and my future bride and I are going to get settled," he replied. "Then we are going to start our wonderful plans of taking the world by storm."

All of the officers were mesmerized at the screen, but Coreen looked to Mike.

"Well, there goes the neighborhood," Mike said to everyone, even if they weren't listening.

* * *

 _I loved the CN Tower when I went to visit it so you can see why they would put their palace there. Let's review and see what the happy couple will do next._


	4. Chapter 4 -- Preparations

_Onward to the takeover of the CN Tower..._

* * *

 **Chapter Four - Preparations**

 _CN Tower_

The tower had been cleared of mortal visitors and of all of their belongings.

It was completely theirs.

All six elevators arrived to the top floor at the same time. The doors opened allowing vampires and demons to emerge from within all the doors.

One of the cabs contained a dark demon priest as well as Vicki and Asteroth. They stepped off into the center of the loading area and looked to the demons that surrounded them. They strutted in, his arm draped around her shoulders and hers snaked around behind while her right hand held his. Both had smiles of lust on their faces.

The demons hissed and growled as they stood there waiting for their orders.

"Go," Asteroth ordered. "Turn this pit-hole into a palace worthy of me and my queen."

The demons dispatched in destroying walls, ripping down paintings and statistical maps of the tower. They overturned chairs and tossed the dinnerware from the restaurant; causing chaos.

Victoria came around front of him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Soon, this will not be a beacon mankind's ability to reach the sky," he told her in his Cascioli voice. "It will be a symbol and identifier of who owns this world."

She chuckled and bent backwards, but not releasing her hold of him.

"This is all wonderful Raymond," she said to him. "But there is still one thing that I ask of you."

"Name it, and it shall be yours."

"You," she requested. "I want you to take me."

Raymond smoothed his hands down her arms in order to pry her away from him. "As enticing as you are, my sweet Victoria, we have to wait until our special day. When the Blood Moon is at its peak on the 13th," he explained. "Our wedding day, our passion will ignite and we will set this world on fire."

"Ohh, the way you talk," she growled before they locked lips.

It was amazing when he kissed her. It was as if she was the power of the gateway and she was giving it all to him. Who needed the demons loose in the mortal realm when he had everything right here?

He suckled on her delicate neck and shoulder covered in the black silk gown.

"Excuse me," the dark priest, a gnome came up to interrupt them. "Excuse me my liege."

"Do you mind?" Vicki snapped at him and then turned her head.

"It's all right Vicki," he told her. "What is it Touron?"

"I want to know where we should place the altar to prepare it for sacrifices as we draw closer to the event sire?" the gnome asked. "Should it be placed in this center area where the dining area once was so all can see?"

"No you fool," he growled. "This is to be our private area. The area where we shall adjourn and consummate our union. Put the altar…over…there."

"The glass floor sire?" he asked.

Raymond stared at the dark priest with his blood red eyes. "Do you question me?" he growled.

The gnome was afraid and the demons that were destroying what was once the tourist attraction of the world all bowed at his anger. Vicki was clapping in excitement behind him.

"No sire," the priest said. "I meant no dishonor."

"I thought you didn't," he replied and his eyes returned to normal. "Now get to work."

"Yes Master," it replied and went to do his job.

Raymond forcefully brought Victoria back into his arms and chuckled with each other. "Let us go out and register for items for our wedding?" he said. "Get you something more radiant."

She smiled and they went back for the elevators to go back to the ground.

* * *

 _Over a week_ …

* * *

The city was the first to fall. The Mayor and the City Council were the first to fall under Asteroth's spell and control. It wasn't long after that the province was in negotiation to give up their control of their cities as well to Raymond Cascioli and Victoria Nelson.

World Governments from the United States to England, France, and China were the next to follow in line. Many tried to assassinate the new leader and his bride, but they mysteriously disappeared.

Or so the people were left to believe. The ashes that fell from the CN Tower's top were all that remained of the people that tried to kill them.

Coreen Fennel and Michael Celluci watched as the police department was converted into a task force for hunting down those not willing to conform. This forced them to behave on the outside, but on the inside, they were trying to find a way to kill him and free Vicki.

They watched as people they knew or saw everyday were arrested for no apparent reason other than to insight that the rule of Cascioli was wrong.

They also began to notice that the vampires and those loyal to vampires were suddenly disappearing. What was Asteroth doing to them?

They only hoped that Henry Fitzroy was seeing this and that he would come for them soon.

* * *

 _This story is going to get better because I am making changes as I go. I am seeing the changes from the original text and my growth as a writer. If you read the original version on Retrogression before, I hope that you are enjoying the changes._


	5. Chapter 5 -- Blood filled shame

_Those of you that are wondering about our wonderful vampire prince, here is makes his debut in the story. We adjourn to Vancouver, which is prevalent in the Blood Ties texts and universe. I thought, what the heck. Let's bring it into the text as well._

* * *

 **Chapter Five – Blood-filled Shame**

 _Vancouver, British Columbia_

The night came over the city of Vancouver and as the sun was sinking deeper into the west, vampire Henry Fitzroy was pulled from his deep slumber. He stretched out his back and arms before climbing out of bed. It had been a peaceful night of sleep and felt as though it was going to be a good night to go out and find someone to share the night with.

During his shower, he allowed the water to beat on his cold body and cleanse himself of the day and prepare him for the night.

Once out the shower, he began scouring for clothes to wear to his favorite night spot. He found a red silk shirt and black jeans that he liked to wear all the time.

As he was unfolding the jeans, a picture fell out of the pocket.

He bent down and picked up the picture. It was a picture of Vicki, himself, and Mike when Javier Mendoza had been tracking him in order to kill him.

It still hurt that he had left Vicki behind in Toronto, but he did not want to fight Asteroth when she could have easily have defeated and sent him straight to Hell. Instead, she saved her assistant Coreen.

He smoothed her face with his thumb still remembering what she looked like, smelt like. It was enough to drive him crazy.

Henry walked to the trashcan beside the dresser and delicately dropped the picture into it.

Once all dressed he walked out into the living room and saw his young ward Tony reclined on the couch, eating and watching TV.

"Hey Henry," Tony greeted him. "Are you going out?"

"Yeah and I won't be long," he replied. "Heading over to Cellar to have a drink. Maybe find someone."

"You can always take me," Tony said.

"Not tonight kid," he replied. "I fed from you the other night because I couldn't get out. Now I can and quite frankly I need some air."

"Suit yourself," Tony replied shoving another spoonful of froot loops into his mouth and resumed watching TV. "Hey Henry, did you see this? Crime is up in the city."

"Crime is always up in this city," Henry replied as he grabbed his coat from the closet. "We have to deal with it."

"But it's a crime wave that is emanating from Toronto and the criminals are coming here to get away from the marshal law that is happening there. What makes these guys think this way?"

"Who cares?" Henry replied. "I expect you to be in bed when I get home."

"Sure thing…dad," Tony joked and went back vegging.

Henry walked through the downtown area that was crowded with people that were out and about. As he walked, he did see someone attempt to purse-snatch someone, but a cop was able to chase him down and recover the woman's property.

It was none of his business. He was just here to live and survive.

He looked to the newspapers a vendor was selling. All of them said, "CRIME WAVE RISES!" and "NEW GOVERNMENT IN TORONTO SPARKS CRIME!" and finally "MARSHALL LAW IN TORONTO."

Henry was near the Cellar club and waited for the bouncer to see him.

"Greetings Antonio," Henry greeted him.

"Welcome Mr. Fitzroy," the bouncer said and allowed him to enter in front of all the patrons that were waiting in line. It was a perk of being a VIP in the club.

He walked down the steps into the club that was mostly for the elite in the city, but it was very dark inside as members and club goers mingled with others and made deals for the evening.

He scanned the room for anyone that he knew or someone that appealed to him for spending the evening with.

There was someone with a long blond mane sitting at the bar. She wore a long black skirt that had slits that cascaded up to her hips and had her back to him. She looked to be someone that he knew or recognized and proceeded close to the bar.

With his hearing as he approached, he listened to her talk with the bartender. "I do not know what men want nowadays," the woman said. "I come here to go husband hunting and low and behold, I do not meet a soul." She took a drink of her vodka martini.

The bartender pointed to himself and said, "What? Am I not husband material?"

She swallowed and answered him. "Not that I am complaining Ray, you're sweet but you just don't look like a morning person," she said in reference to his job.

He remembered Vicki had said those exact words when she was trying to get into the fertility clinic over a year ago in order to infiltrate its operations.

She was drinking the same drink she always liked and her hair was smoothed down and longer.

Was this Vicki sitting at the bar almost waiting for him to arrive?

"Vicki?" asked the woman, thinking that it was her.

The woman turned and faced him…it was not Vicki.

"Do you mean Nikki?" she asked him, as she did check him out afterwards.

"No," Henry replied. "I thought that you were someone else that I knew."

"But I can be love," she said, turning full-circle in her barstool. "What is your name?"

"I'm sorry," he told her and went away.

"Oh come on now, don't act like that," he heard her say and he did stop. Yet another reference line that Vicki had said in his presence before.

Henry turned back to the woman and stared at her enticing offering.

* * *

Henry and Nicole Charmayne returned to his loft after they left The Cellar club. Tony was still asleep on the sofa and the TV was on the twenty-four hour news channel.

Nicole was drawn to the boy. "Your kid?" she asked him.

"Just a roommate," Henry said as he led the way to his bedroom.

She was giggling as he did.

Once they were in his room and the door was shut, he pressed her up against the doors and held her at his will.

"Ohh, a man who knows what he wants," she said to him. "I like that."

"I'm glad," he answered and their mouths met hard against one another. He held her strong against his body and the door.

She pried his hands away and he lifted Nicole up into his embrace.

He carried her to the bed where she fell down onto it.

Henry crawled over to hold her against the silkened surface. Her blond hair fell across her face as she laughed.

Shock came across his face as when he stared down at her face and suddenly he could see the love of his former life, Vicki, lying underneath him.

Feral passion overtook him and he forced himself onto her. He could not explain how he could not control himself. He knew from the bar that this was not Vicki, but his mind was bewitching him into thinking that it was. It was something he had always wanted, his beloved Victoria, forever in his embrace.

While they made love, he fed on her and could not stop himself from drinking.

"Henry," Nicole said to him. "Stop. Please."

He could not stop himself. Her blood was what he wanted.

"Henry," she cried again. "Stop!"

He did release himself and saw that Nicole was indeed the one that he was feeding from and that he had hurt her by drinking too much of her blood. She was so anemic from his thirst, she was on the verge of death.

He had to think fast.

With his power of mind suggestion and his eyes blackened over, he gave her what he needed her to know. "You were attacked and a friend found you; brought you back so you could be tended to. Go to sleep."

Henry released her and Nicole fell to the bed in a heap in a deadened sleep.

He panicked as he rushed to get some gauze from the bathroom. He had to clot up Nicole's wound to make sure that his suggestion had evidence to support it.

The wound began to clot up in her neck and it was soon closed to where she wouldn't be bleeding anymore.

Henry felt ashamed that he had lost control. It went against everything that he stood for and how he lived.

But why? He had fed from Victoria Nelson before and never lost control in the way that he just had with Nicole. What was wrong with him?

Henry fell against the bed and wept for the first time in a long time.

* * *

 _I had to show that Henry is feeling regret over leaving Vicki behind. This chapter was interesting to write so I hope that you review it you enjoyed it. He will be going away again for a bit and then he will be back._


	6. Chapter 6 -- I do not need you

_Back to Toronto and it is time for Mike to clear his name. Now this chapter gets a little graphic and violent so if you are squeemish, avoid the last lit bit of the chapter._

* * *

 **Chapter Six – I do not need you**

 _Toronto: Friday – Michael Celluci's hearing_

Michael Celluci walked out of the Mai Kai dry-cleaners on Spadina with his dress uniform wrapped in the bag. He had forgotten to get it out yesterday and did not make it back before they closed.

Today was his hearing and he knew that he needed to get out of the cleaners before he went to the hearing. He needed to be in his best to be at his best.

He stopped and crossed off _pick up uniform_ off his list and then shoved it into his jacket pocket. He turned back and looked into the window and something scared him.

It was Vicki in the window's reflection.

He turned around and there she was, standing still in a leather jumper and tall black boots with her hair twisted in a lot of curls.

She was not the same Vicki Nelson that he once knew.

"Hi Mike," she greeted him with a seductive smile on her face.

"Vicki," he said and started to walk away.

"Where are you going?" she asked him as she caught up to him. "I thought that we could get some lunch and then…"

"We?" he asked her. "Who's we?"

"You and I," she corrected her English. "Raymond has some business to take care of and I wanted to get out so I figured it's been a while since we were able to talk. "

"I wonder why," he countered her cheerful tone. "Oh wait, that's right. You got engaged to a demon and left the rest of we mere mortals left to serve you or we mysteriously disappear."

They stopped walking.

"I would never let anything happen to you Mike," she told him. "You and Coreen mean the world to me and I would rather die than see anything happen to the two of you. That's mainly why I am doing this."

"Oh no, don't even say that you are going steady with a demon to save Coreen and I," he snapped at her pointing his finger. "This is some sort of deception that Asteroth has you under so you will do his bidding and then he is going to say, recite, whatever a spell to not only end the world, but you would then be killing everything and everyone that you hold dear."

"How can you say that Mike?" she asked him, tears in her eyes. "Can't you just respect that I am happy and that I see the world in this brand new life. I have freedom unlike anything that I could ever want. I can do anything that I want. I could even influence the committee to get your job back. They'll listen to me."

"Oh yeah, they will "listen" to you," he snapped at her with in air quotations with his fingers. "Look, I am glad that you are happy with your future demon husband. Go ahead and rule the world and then destroy it for all I care. Just do me a favor and quit saying that you are doing this for us, because you are not."

A couple of tears fell from her blackened eyes and down her cheeks.

His watch beeped. It was one hour before the hearing. "Look I have to go," he said. "I have to get to my hearing. Good luck in your "new life" and don't bother coming to the hearing. As long as you are with that demon, I don't need you there."

He walked away.

* * *

Victoria Nelson stood there in pain as her tears left her eyes. She did not think that Mike could be so cold to her.

* * *

From the black limo across the street, Raymond Cascioli was sitting in the back watching as his bride-to-be had insisted that she be let out on this street in order to see Michael Celluci, her former partner and friend.

But it was clear from the exchange that it was not a good one.

Vicki came sauntering across the road with her arms wrapped tightly around her and she climbed into the car after he opened the door for her. She was in tears as she climbed in.

"Bastard," she snapped.

"I trust that Mike was not willing to accept our engagement invitation?" he asked her.

"Far from it," she told him. "He said that I should stop blaming my choosing to be with you on the reason that I was trying to save him. He doesn't believe me."

"No Vicki," he said to her. "He doesn't trust me."

"It's all that bitch, Crowley's fault!" she sneered. "If she hadn't fired him because of him helping me, none of this would have happened. If only I could make her pay for this."

Raymond took her hands in his. "Maybe there is," he said. "Would you like to get back at Captain Crowley for ruining Mike's life the way she has?"

"In a heartbeat."

"Close your eyes," he told her.

Vicki did just that.

He took both her marked wrists in his hands and concentrated deep into his powers. He channeled as much power as he could from his body into Victoria's.

His hands glowed silver and cooled once they had burned and formed on her wrists.

They both looked to the silver bracelets that now encircled her wrists. The icons moved from the inner parts of her wrists to the outer side and took a jewelry form on them.

They were brilliant with the icons encrusted in ruby colored globes and pure silver on her wrists.

"What are these…" she started to say.

"I have turned your marks into weapons," he told her. "See," he said as he showed her the marks. "Now you can take these powerful marks and use them against those that wronged you and your friends."

She stared at them with a vicious smile on her face. "These will come in handy. Not just to help Mike, but to get even on a few people I have been dying to get even with."

The one that was not a globe glowed bright with a flaming color.

* * *

 **Toronto** **Metro Police Central station**

 ** _Committee Court Chamber_**

The committee of nine sat before him as Mike stood at the center podium pleading his case to get his job back. Police officers from his headquarters were there in support on his right side while anti-supporters with Crowley were there on his left.

"I have an impeccable record your honors," Mike started his closing argument. "I have no doubts that you have questions regarding giving me my position back, but with the rising crime rates in Toronto and this new government, I want to ensure you that I will do what I was sworn to do years ago: to uphold and serve the law and public to the best of my ability. Thank you."

"Thank you Detective Sergeant Michael Celluci," the head of the committee said to him. "You have presented us with a grand deal of evidence to consider in our discussion. Now we must hear from the Opposition lead by Captain Alison Crowley."

Crowley stood up and carried her folder to the podium where she would be providing her counterarguments.

"Good afternoon, Oversight Committee members," Crowley greeted them. "First let me begin by saying that it is not because Detective Mike Celluci is a bad cop trying to get back on the force. In fact, he is one of the best detectives on the police squad. Any department would be honored to have him. However, it was up till a year ago when…"

The water glasses on the tables of all the members started shaking. Some of the water was spilling over the edges, getting documents and people wet.

Then the furniture started to shake and this got the attention of the people that were inside the hearing.

"Everyone, stay calm," a bailiff announced to everyone to keep everyone in the room calm.

Coreen Fennel looked scared as she sat next to Mike and looked. "This cannot be an earthquake," she said to him.

"Then what is it?" Mike asked.

Suddenly, the doors to the chamber were shoved open with explosive force after the lock had been splintered. It had been a closed door meeting and no one was able to enter after the testimony had begun.

Everyone stared to the entrance where smoke delicately poured in and allowed the person to enter the chamber.

Slowly, the person walked through and everyone knew who it was.

It was Victoria Nelson.

"What is the meaning of this young lady?" the head member of the committee called out to her as she stood in the center of the aisle between the entrance and the podium in the center of chamber. "This is a closed door session."

"Yeah, about that, I want to make sure that I get in my two cents in order to clear Detective Celluci of any falsehoods that have been placed on his records," she said to him. "I trust what I will say will change your minds."

"You're a little late Nelson," Crowley stared her down. "The defense has already gone and now it is my turn to say why he _should not be_ allowed to serve on the police department again."

"Excuse me," another person, Raymond Cascioli announced as he walked into the room. "You'll have to excuse my fiancée, but she had quite a passion for this case and I believe it would be in the committee's best interest to hear what she has to say."

"It's OK, I apologize Grand Committee members," Mike said as he stood up in between Vicki and Crowley. "I had Ms. Nelson removed from my witness list because it was my understanding that she was no longer interested in testifying, being that other events have come up in her life as of late."

"That would not stop me Mike," Vicki said to him as she lightly pushed him aside and walked closer to Crowley. "I need to make sure that Captain Crowley doesn't spin her stories around my involvement and the cases that she is about to present to twist the truth in her favor."

"There is no twisting or spinning Nelson," Crowley said to her. "You ruined his career and now you want to try and fix it."

"No," Vicki said. "I am here to correct a mistake and do something I should have done a long time ago."

"Which is?" Crowley asked.

"This…" she said and used her right hand to lift Crowley off of the floor without even touching her. Something on her wrist glowed brightly. Then she twisted her wrist and magically pushed Crowley. She hit with such force against the platform where the committee sat, a huge dent was made in the solid oak.

Everyone in the chamber stood in shock at what was going on.

"Oh did that hurt?" Vicki asked her. She was very seductive in her comical nature.

Crowley got up and pulled out her pistol. "I am going to make sure that I bury Celluci and you at the same time."

Vicki chuckled.

"I wouldn't have said that if I were you," Cascioli said while scratching the side of his neck. "You see, Victoria…she has quite a temper."

"I would listen to him," Vicki said.

"I listen to no one," Crowley said. "Least of all…you."

Vicki raised her hand and it glowed.

Crowley's gun heated up and burned her hands. She was forced to drop the gun to the floor.

Mike watched as Vicki took her hand and magically grasped Crowley around her throat. He reached for his pistol, but realized that he did not have it.

But Kate Lam beside him did have hers.

"Kate," he shouted to her.

Kate stood up and drew her gun on Vicki. "All right Nelson, release Captain Crowley, now!" she ordered her.

Vicki looked in her direction and that was when they saw her eyes. They were glowing in a golden hue, just as her hand had been.

"Vicki, you need to stop this!" Coreen pleaded.

"Why?" Vicki answered them, her voice strikingly different. "Do you honestly think that you can stop me?"

Mike spoke up next. "Vicki, you can't do this? Why would you want to?"

"To make sure that people know that I was serious and I will be for the rest of this existence," she dared them. "Pretty soon, you are not going to be able to challenge me. Forget Asteroth, I'm the one you are going to have to fear."

Mike looked back at Cascioli who decided to recline back in the guard's chair and leaned it back into the wall. He was grinning from ear to ear as he smoothed over his suit coat.

"Won't you stop her?" he asked.

"Don't look at me," Raymond said. "I'm enjoying myself."

"Nelson," Kate shouted, "I am giving you to the count of three to release Captain Crowley or you will give me no choice but to shoot you. One."

"You had better listen to her," Crowley gurgled out what words she could get out with the invisible hand around her throat. "You are not making it out of here."

"Before I finish our little talk," Vicki said to Crowley, "I just wanted to say what a pleasure it was to allow me to kill you before the governing body and all these people you have enslaved to your will. I hope that you remember all our fond memories together and all the lives that you have ruined because they are the last you are going to have."

"Two Vicki!" Kate warned her and cocked the pistol.

"Three," Vicki grumbled and with that, her hand glowed brightly and with that, fire extended from her wrist and like a rope, ignited Crowley in her hand.

Crowley started screaming in agony as she burned before her fellow officers and the committee members. Vicki was attempting to burn her alive.

Kate fired on Vicki and Mike forced Coreen to the floor to protect her.

But he watched as the bullets simply struck her and either bounced off of or were disintegrated in the energy field that surrounded her.

Vicki did not stop burning Crowley, even as the rest of the officers in the galley opened fire on her. The same result happened.

Finally Cascioli came forward and forced Vicki's arms to her sides by wrapping his around her.

The fire stopped and Crowley was dropped to the floor. She was burned over her entire body and was in need of serious medical attention.

"OK darling, I think that you have made your point," the demon said. "Remember gentlemen," he addressed the council. "Make your decision based on what you have seen here today. You know who I am and what I am capable of doing. Now you have seen what my future wife can do. Make your decision based on wise judgment. Now if you will excuse us, we have a wedding to register for."

Cascioli and Vicki walked out of the committee room in the same way that they had walked in; in confidence and in control of their own lives. Laughter echoed off the walls.

Mike stared over at Crowley who was still breathing, but was in terrible shape.

"Someone call 911!" he shouted. "Call 911!" He was at her side trying to help.

Coreen was near him as she tried to keep Captain Crowley conscious.

Several officers appeared and surrounded around them as the council members looked down from their platform stand.

"See what happens when you stick your head in the sand and ignore a psychotic demon who is slowly taking over the city," Coreen insulted the police force. "You deal with his wife."

"And in this case," Mike added, "his wife is more evil than he is."

* * *

 _The magic of Asteroth has really taken hold of Vicki. It looks to be a miracle is in order in order to save Vicki. Please review._


	7. Chapter 7 -- Memory

_Back to Henry and Tony in BC. Hope you have recovered from that gruesome previous chapter. Please enjoy this tiny chapter, but it needs to be alone._

* * *

 **Chapter Seven**

 _Vancouver, British Columbia_

Tony was still passed out on the couch when Henry proceeded out of his bedroom to see if his young ward had made it off to the community college that he had personally enrolled him in.

It wasn't a good thing, but in a way it was. At least he would be able to help Nicole to leave.

"Are you sure that you are able to walk?" he asked her as she staggered out of the room toward his front door.

"Yeah," Nicole said as she held her hand over the bandaged gauze around her neck. She needed his assistance a little bit as she got near the door.

Henry was gracious and wrapped a scarf around her neck. It would hide the gauze and not draw suspicion as to why her hand covered her neck

"I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't chased off that rapist," she said to him as she tightened the red cloth around her neck. "You saved me."

"And would do it over again," he replied. "If you can think of anything, anything that reminds you of who tried to slash your throat, do not be afraid to call the police."

"It's got to be that repression thing going on," she replied. "My mind doesn't want me to remember and then again, I do not want to remember. I just hope that they find him."

"I have faith that they will. Good night Ms. Charmayne."

"Good night and thank you."

Nicole walked away and stepped on the elevator, but not before she waved to him and he returned her gesture.

Henry closed the door and walked inside, angry that he had lost control like that, but it was almost dawn and he did not want to think about it or Vicki for the rest of the time he was "awake."

"Tony," he said as he tossed a large, heavy pillow onto his abdomen. "Wake up. Time for you to go to school."

"It's too early," Tony yawned. "I don't have class until 11 AM this morning."

"It's Tuesday."

"No," Tony corrected him. "It's Wednesday and I only have Government today. Math is only on Mondays."

Henry realized that he was wrong. "I'm sorry," he replied. "But I do not want to find out that you skipped class today. You already missed one day this semester."

"That was because I was too tired from you feeding from me," Tony rebuked. "Besides, I cannot miss today. I have my first test."

Henry looked to him and then shut the doors.

"Wonder what his problem is?" Tony wondered and got up to go get clean before he had to leave for class.

Henry took off his long robe and climbed under the comforter. He wanted to get comfortable underneath the blanket so that when his sleep took him, he would not wake up in several hours with back pain.

The sun slowly rose and he pushed the buttons on the blinds to bring them down.

Slowly, he felt his breath leave him and he remembered nothing after that.

* * *

 _Told you it was short. If you do not review, I completely understand._


	8. Chapter 8 -- The key

_I know I am flip flopping locations, but I promise, our settings will soon be colliding. Please continue to read and review._

* * *

 **Chapter Eight – Where is the key?**

 _Toronto, Ontario_

Coreen Fennel was walking through Queen's Park, uneasy after the events of the weekend. She actually found joy in going back to school. It kept her mind off of current events.

She had gone with Mike to the hospital in order to check on Captain Alison Crowley. Vicki had messed her up really bad. If she didn't die from the burns, the infections that she would get would kill her in a matter of weeks.

Well, at least she would die a heck of a lot sooner than they would once Asteroth assumed his leadership. She was certain that she and Mike would be right near the top of Asteroth's Hit List.

She walked into the Department of Philosophy building and was about to head up the steps when she saw Dr. Betty Sagara walking down the long pathway toward her office.

"Dr. Sagara," Coreen called out to her.

"Ah, Ms. Fennel," Betty greeted her. "How are things? I haven't seen you around campus in a long time."

"Yeah, I sort of withdrew, but I can't stay at home and watch the same stuff over and over again on TV," she answered.

"I suppose so," the professor said as they entered her office where all her books were. "I have to say that I am shocked to see Ms. Nelson associating with a demon."

"You know that Raymond Cascioli is a demon?"

"How can you not?" she said as she patted her cheek with a gentle hand. "When you get to be my age child and in my area of expertise, you can interpret things far different than others." She walked to her desk and spread her shawl over her chair. "What does Henry think of this?"

"Don't know," Coreen replied. "He skipped town before Cascioli took control of Vicki."

Betty was in a silent and disbelieving shock. "I guess that would be why she would be with him. Where did Henry go?"

"He took off for Vancouver," she told him. "He did not want to fight Asteroth and Vicki did choose Mike because she wanted to fix his career, but if Mike's career would have been OK, she would have left with him in a heartbeat."

"Leaving Asteroth to take over and rule," Dr. Sagara answered.

Coreen shrugged her shoulders.

"What is it with Ms. Nelson that would make Asteroth lure her to the dark side?" Betty wondered aloud as she went to explore one of her old books. "There has to be something."

"She claimed that she was doing this in order to save Mike and me," Coreen replied. "I think he has her under some sort of spell."

Dr. Sagara finished searching in her book and found what she was obviously looking for. "I knew that I had seen the marks on her wrists in this book. I paid it no mind when Henry hadn't come around in a while. Here they are again."

She went to look at the book. "The Gateway Keys," she said the title on the page.

"According to this description, the marks on Vicki's wrists are keys to a legendary gateway," Betty was explaining to her. "When Mr. Bridewell marked her with these icons, they were meant to be the gateway to allow Asteroth to come through and enter our world."

"Which he didn't need in order to get out," Coreen added in remark.

"So now, instead of releasing himself," Dr. Sagara was telling her, "he can use these marks to open the gateway again…"

"To free all of the other demons and allow them to enter our world," Coreen replied, her eyes wide with shock. "That's why he is keeping Vicki alive. She's going to be the one that opens the gate. It would be 'All Hell breaks loose,' literally."

Betty lightly waved her finger at her.

"We have to bust her out of the Tower. We have to free her."

"Not that I do not support you in your endeavor child," Betty said, stopping her from gathering her items to take off, "but if she is under his spell, how do you expect to free her and keep her away from him?"

"I'll think about then when we have her chained up somewhere underground where he can't find her," Coreen said.

"Or if I might make a suggestion," she told her. "Contact Henry and get him to help you?"

"We've tried calling him, but he either changed his cellular phone number or he sees it's us and doesn't bother to answer."

Dr. Sagara went to her books again and found a book with several index tabs on it. She opened it with the dark blue ribbon and presented her the page that it marked. "Perhaps this will help you in getting his attention."

Coreen looked to the page and smiled when she saw what it was.

* * *

 _Is Asteroth truly in love with Vicki or is he just using her? You will have to read to find out._


	9. Chapter 9 -- Seeing you again

_This one is a shortie, but it has to be apart from the rest of the story. Those of you that are reading, please continue to review._

* * *

 **Chapter Nine – I never thought I would see you again**

 _Mike Celluci's Residence_

A hand was knocking hard at the door and Mike Celluci was forced to wake up from the sofa where he had just crashed after returning from the hospital to check on Crowley.

While he was there, he saw her family gathering with a priest to watch over and pray for her. It was clear that she was getting her last rites and would be disconnected from life support soon.

He still couldn't wrap his head around Vicki setting Crowley on fire with her bare hands. Asteroth had her under some wicked mind control to get her to do something like that. What he saw on Friday was nothing that represented the Vicki Nelson that he knew.

If there was even anything that represented Vicki anymore, it was overshadowed by her dark side.

The knocks kept coming.

"All right, I'm coming," he grumbled and opened the door.

It was Coreen, toting a big old book.

"Coreen," he greeted her. "What are you doing here?"

"We have to go," she told him as she entered his place. "Hurry up; put a shirt on, we'll take my car."

"Whoa, whoa, slow down," he said to her. "I am not going anywhere until you tell me where we are going. I just got back from the hospital an hour ago after being there all night and I am not in the mood."  
"Not even to save Vicki?" she asked him.

That got his attention. "What are you planning?" he asked her.

"We need to get Henry here," she said, "and Dr. Sagara was able to help me in finding the perfect way to get in touch with him and he can't caller ID us."

"How?"

"I'll explain on the way," she told him. "Just put something on so we can go."

He went to get a shirt to cover his wife-beater and listened as Coreen was using her phone.

"Yeah, we have to meet," she spoke to someone as he listened in. "Where? See you in an hour."

* * *

 **Coreen Fennel's car**

The blackish green Ford Focus drove along Spadina as they headed down for Dundas as Mike Celluci and Coreen Fennel traveled toward the outskirts of Chinatown. They were looking to head for someone that she had spoken to on her phone.

"Now where are we going to meet this person that you called?" Mike asked as he drove her car and Coreen was reading something in the old book.

"They said to meet right outside the Dragon City mall," Coreen told him.

"And?"

"And that's it," she told him. "You need to relax. We're on the verge of getting the help that we need."

"Forgive me for being nervous because I did not get my job back on the force only to die a horrible flaming death at the hand of the woman we are trying to save."

"You didn't tell me that you got your job back?" she said in shock.

"I think that the entire force is turning to serving Asteroth and Victoria, being what she did Crowley is a pretty big deterrent to going against them," he told her as he made the turn onto Dundas and parked. "OK, where is our host?"

"We're slightly early," she said.

"So what is this thing that you are reading?" he asked looking at it.

"Dr. Sagara said that it is the ultimate contact method in order to get Henry to come back to Toronto and help us save Vicki," she replied.

"But this isn't star sixty-nine stalker line Coreen," he told her. "That is dark magick."

"Do you have a better idea?"

Suddenly, someone smashed their body against the car; causing both of them to scream in shock.

The person wore a long cloak that covered over the person's entire body and the hood concealed their identity.

Mike drew his pistol and cocked it be ready to shoot the person if they didn't go away.

The figure drew back the hood and Coreen knew who it was right away. "It's OK Mike," she told him, pulling the gun down away from the window. "This is who we are meeting."

"Coreen," the female with the dark brown hair said her name. "I have to say, I never thought I would see you again."

"It's nice to see you to…Sinead," Coreen said her name.


	10. Chapter 10 -- Out of our hands

_Now this chapter gets a little weird. But I want to make sure that I put it out there, I do not use black magic. All I did was do what any good author does and research. Please do not be offended by any of the material in this chapter. I just knew there had to be some sort of magical element to the story if it was going to make sense._

 _Please review!_

* * *

 **Chapter Ten—Out of our hands**

They left the car in Chinatown and walked down the street to an abandoned building around the corner. Sinead was leading them somewhere away from where she had said that she would meet them.

Why were they going far away?

Mike began to think that maybe she was leading them into a trap as they entered the building and kept his hand near his pistol.

They walked down stairs and went underground, down a long dimly lit hallway, and arrived to a door that needed a special key to gain access.

"Why have you strayed so far away from your shop?" Coreen asked as she kept the book tightly against her body.

Sinead created the pentagram looking symbol on the lock and the door opened.

"Since the demon ceased control, those that practice magick that would otherwise seem threatening to him are targets of his rage," Sinead replied. "The shop is now a front and I practice what I need to get done down here. I have a local coven that meets here once a week."

"To do what exactly?" Mike asked as they entered the room that was covered in skulls, symbols, and shelves with materials that e could only guess were to make potions.

"To try and dethrone Asteroth," the witch replied.

"See," Coreen whispered to him. "I told you that she would be able to help us.

"Though I have to say I am surprised that you need me to help you with something," Sinead told her. "What is that you want?"

"You want help in dethroning Asteroth," Coreen said. "We need Henry."  
"Henry?" she said his name with his enthusiasm. "Do you know where he is?"

"He's gone," Coreen added, "and our attempts to contact him have been ignored. We need to contact him in a way that he cannot ignore it."

"And what do you suggest?" Sinead asked.

"This," Coreen said opening the book and resting it in her hands. "Dr. Sagara said that this would be the spell that would…"

"I am aware of the power you long to use," Sinead said as she analyzed the text. "But why do you want to use this spell to bring Henry back? This is a powerful spell for one as young as you."

"I'm ready," Coreen said.

"Wait, time out a second," Mike said and pulled her away from the witch for a second. "Do you even know what you are going to do? You could be selling your soul to God knows what if you do this."

"We can bring Henry back and have the leverage we need to go get Vicki," Coreen told him. "This spell is a dreamwalk spell."

"Layman's terms."

"This spell is going to allow us to enter Henry's mind and force him to see what has become of Vicki," she explained to him. "We're finally going to reach him."

"We're going to need three people to do this," Sinead said as she read the spell in the book. "Plus a few things to create a circle. The biggest thing is we're going to have to wait until Henry has succumbed to his sleep."

"That would mean we would have to do this in the morning," Coreen said.

"But he's in Vancouver," Mike said and reached for his cell-phone to look at the world clock. "Vancouver has a three hour time difference and the sun goes down at five-nineteen this morning."

"That will give us the time to prepare," Sinead told him. "We're going to show Henry the future that Vicki will live if he does not return to Toronto."

"Wait, wait, wait," Mike said. "You're going to scare him into coming back."

Sinead stood erect and looked to him. "Fear can be a great ally," she told him.

"Come on Mike," Coreen begged him. "We need you in order to get this done." He was reluctant to say yes, until she said. "Do it for Vicki."

That got him. "What do you need me to do?"

Coreen and Sinead got to work during the evening hours to draw in paint a symbol on the floor.

In the center of the triangle interlaced with a circle was a triquetra. It would prove to be a powerful symbol that would bind their minds together and bring Henry Fitzroy the visions that they wanted him to have.

It would be the only way to get him to come back to Toronto and fight the demon that had Vicki.

While they were getting ready with the tools and the icons that they needed, Coreen picked Sinead's head for knowledge of the magic that she had.

"So what else do you know about the icons on Vicki's wrists?" Coreen asked.

"Oh, powerful magic is in Vicki's body," Sinead said as she lit the candle in the center of the triquetra. "Her marks form a great power that not only binds her flesh and her soul together, but it also binds her to Asteroth himself."

"Sort of a demonic engagement ring?" she asked.

"In simple terms, yes. Once we can safely say that Henry is "under," we'll bombard him with visions that would send him into a fear that Vicki is in mortal danger."

"Will anything happen to us?" Coreen asked.

"We will have to be attached to his mind for the duration of the spell," she told her. "Just long enough for him to see what we want him to see. The spell should be powerful enough to where we could even shove him out of his sleep cycle."

"Is that healthy for a vampire to be awake during the dawn?"

"As long as he stays in darkness, yeah, he'll be fine," Sinead joked.

There was a knock to the door and Coreen walked over to it. She slid the viewer aside and saw Mike on the opposite side. He was back.

She opened the door and allowed him to enter.

"Did you get it?" Sinead asked him.

"Well hello to you too," Mike answered. "I got it," he added as he displayed the folder. "I got a fingerprint check that I used a while ago and even a photo of him outside Vicki's apartment from a file that I was keeping on him. Should be good enough, right?"

Sinead examined the photo. "Yes, these will do quite well," she replied. "Your skills match that of your personal strive to save Ms. Nelson's life." She took the photo and the fingerprint over to the center and took her place at the top of the triangle. "Shall we?"

Mike looked to his watch. "The sun just came up here about an hour ago," he said. "We have a three hour time delay before Fitzroy will be asleep and we can get him."

"There are still a couple of things that we have to do before we will be able to make the connection to his mind," Sinead told him. "Please, take a point."

Mike and Coreen each took one of the points on the painted icon.

"I'm not even magical or have the abilities that would remotely be of use to you," he tried protesting his way out doing the spell with them. "Maybe one of your other coven members would want to do this."

"You're strong, physical and emotional attraction to Vicki will be useful in bringing the love in Henry's dreams. You will be helpful."

Coreen had something in her hand as well. "Plus, what we want you to say, we wrote it down on an index card for you to make it easier."

He took the card. "Thanks." He started to read it.

"Are we ready to begin?" she asked them.

Both of them nodded their heads.

"Then lets us begin," she said and took a deck of tarot cards in her hand. She took a card off the top and passed them to her left toward Coreen.

Coreen took her card off the top and passed them to Mike who took the card off in the same way.

"Now turn them over," Sinead told them.

Each of them turned their cards over and lied them in each of the swirls of the triquetra; imitating Sinead's motions.

"I have drawn the Page of Wands," Coreen answered her.

"A mighty card indeed," Sinead said. "The card that will bring a new and powerful beginning to discover the true power and energy within you. Now your turn Michael."

"I have the Two of Cups," he told her.

"A great card," she replied. "Lovers, sexual attraction will draw two forces together for bonding. It will bring Victoria Nelson and Henry Fitzroy together to be as one.

"And now to take him," Sinead added. She took the picture of Henry that way lying against the candle and stared at him for a brief second, but she refocused and started the spell out of the book. "This simple wish is mine to cast…a magic spell to make it last. Take control of this man's mind. Give him the visions that are of the truth-filled kind. Show him what is to be…And only allow him to see. We close our eyes a little shiver…this dream walk for Henry Fitzroy please now, deliver."

The red candle glowed brightly as though a blowtorch filled the room with fire. She leaned the photo and fingerprint of Henry Fitzroy toward the fire and it vanished into a sparkling dust.

Now it was all out of their hands and in Henry's mind to do what needed to be done.

* * *

 _Again, please review!_


	11. Chapter 11 -- Dreamwalkin

_Now we see if the spell worked. What is Henry going to see?_

 _For a little musical interlude, from the Queen of the Damned soundtrack, "Air Lestat" is a good song or using "Marharet" and "Prodigal Sun" tend to work good too._

* * *

 **Chapter Eleven – Dream – walkin'**

 _Vancouver – Henry's apartment_

Henry Fitzroy returned the following morning after getting some air and a feeding in. At last he had the apartment to himself because Tony would have to be working this morning at the local video store.

No interruptions, no obnoxious comments. Just peace and quiet.

He had gone out to a different one of his local haunts, but he did check on Nicole Charmayne for a brief while. She was OK. A relative was staying with her since he had attacked her and lost control of his thirst.

But for some reason he was overly tired and exhausted.

Perhaps he would call it an early morning and crawl into bed.

Once out of his clothes and into something more comfortable, Henry crawled into bed, covered up, and closed his eyes; awaiting sleep to take him.

Finally, the sun rose and he did release what breath he had and went to sleep.

The day released him and Henry awoke, but for some reason it was very bright in his room.

No, he wasn't in his room. He was outside and it was twilight out.

He was shocked at first, but realized one thing was important: he was not burning in the setting sun.

Wait, there was no sun. The clouds and sky were bright gold and radiant in appearance as he observed them.

He lied in an open field of golden grass.

Once to his feet, he searched around and saw a pathway that lead toward a bright white light in the distance.

Could this be what he thought it was? Was he actually dead and walking toward his afterlife? Normally, vampires did not see this light. It would be dark in color and howling voices could be heard.

As he came closer to the light, the screams became only one person and it sounded familiar.

"Vicki?" he said her name and walked through the bright light.

Once through, he appeared in a hospital and was walking through the sterile hallways toward where nurses were running in and out of a room.

He could still hear Victoria screaming. What was happening to her?

Inside the room, Vicki was propped into a delivery position and she was screaming in pain as she was she trying to give birth to a baby.

"What is this?" he asked, but no one could hear or see him.

"Very good Lady Victoria," the nurse said. "We're almost there."

"I can't," Vicki begged for relief. "It's too hard."

"Yes you can Victoria," a voice said to her.

Henry looked to the other side and saw his former friend Raymond who was now the demon Asteroth. What was he doing here?

"Please my love, help me," she begged Raymond to help her.

"You know that I cannot," he replied.

Henry could not believe it. Vicki was giving birth to Asteroth's child.

"One more push Lady Victoria in three, two, PUSH!" the doctor said.

Henry tried to go over to the demon and beg him to help Vicki, but that was when he saw that Asteroth had someone in front of him. It was a small boy, about age four standing there.

The young boy wore all black and had short spiky black hair.

Cries of the baby that Vicki was giving birth to echoed and Henry was forced to look in her direction.

The doctors held up the child and did not bring it to their mother, but over to Asteroth first. "Congratulations sire," the doctor said. "It's a healthy baby girl."

"Very nice," he said as he inspected the child. "There's my princess Lilith."

"Lilith?" Henry repeated her name. She was named for the demon temptress from Hell.

"Father," the young boy said his name.

"Yes Damien," Asteroth acknowledged his son.

"Damien?" Henry said his name.

"Can we see our mother?" he asked.

"Now, you may go to her," Asteroth told his son.

The young boy rushed toward Vicki and used a stepstool so to jump onto the bench to be embraced by him. Vicki held her son against her body.

"You will endure," little Damien said to her.

"With you, I know I have done well," Vicki whispered.

This was all disturbing as Henry watched the demon family of darkness as they celebrated in their triumph of having another child.

"No," Henry screamed and the vision changed when he turned.

Now he was in his old condo. It was cold and dark, but it was as if he had never left home in the first place.

"What is this?" he asked.

"What you want, right?" a voice said to him.

Henry turned around in his full-blown vampire self and saw who he did not expect to see. "Vicki?" he growled her name.

Vicki stood there in a long black dress and jeweled tiara across her forehead.

"I need you," she begged him. "You need to come back home."

Henry came close to her, but she vanished into a vapor cloud.

He searched around for Vicki, but when he finally did, he was in a long corridor. Pillars with torches lined the path where Vicki was walking down the corridor. The long veils that cascaded from the black gowns straps and her arms guided back behind her. Her hair was all curled as it flowed down her back, but a mass of black jewels filled her mane.

She was in a trance with her stride toward a red glow in the distance.

"Vicki," he called out to and went running after her, no matter how fast he ran though, he could not catch her when she arrived to a more open area.

The red glow was coming from underneath two ornate looking doors engraved with the flames and demons of Purgatory. There were also two holes also glowing brightly as though they awaited a key that would open it.

Within the open space, Henry saw the demon Asteroth in his former friend's body as he did before, but other surrounded the room. He saw a boy who resembled the young boy Damien from before, but was grown up now. Probably sixteen or seventeen by now.

Another girl with long blond hair that was younger, but she was the most beautiful creature that he had ever seen. She had a black lily tied around her neck.

That had to be Lilith.

Two other girls stood near their brother, twins with dark hair. Each of them wore necklaces that were woven into their names…Verrine and Kasdaye.

"They're all..." he whispered as he saw two more girls opposite the other two who stood close to their father. "They're all demons. Demons reborn into the bodies of Vicki's children." They had necklaces with their names on them as well…Astare and Adirael.

Another boy who was around nine years old was wearing a basketball jersey for the Toronto Black Knights. The back read Temeluchus.

Raymond was holding a fussing baby in his arm. He was attempting to cry, but the demon kept him in control. "Now, now Xaphan. We don't need to be disturbing your mother in what she has to do."

He walked over to Vicki who was standing just before the door. "Are you ready?" he asked her.

"I am," Vicki said.

"No mommy," one of the twin girls came over to hug the veils of her gown. "We don't want you go."

"Now, now," Asteroth said to the girls. "Mommy will be back soon. She just has to do this for me. Damien, Lilith."

The two older siblings came and retrieved their young twin siblings and carried them away.

Henry watched as Vicki played with the hands of the newborn Xaphan and calmed him down.

"It's OK," she told him. "I will always be with you." Then she turned to the children. "We're all going to see each other again."

Each of the children waved or said goodbye in their own way.

Asteroth forced Vicki to look into his blood-filled eyes. "Don't worry. You'll be back with us in no time."

"I'm holding you to that," she said to him and they kissed for what he thought would be the last time.

Vicki started walking closer to the doors and pushed the bracelets up on her wrists. The demon markings were glowing brighter as she drew closer.

"Vicki, no," Henry shouted and attempted to reach out to stop her, but his form fell through her, as though he wasn't really there.

He watched her as she placed her hands into the glowing holes and rotated something from the inside.

The doors unsealed and they opened.

Fire and red and white light poured out of the opening. Screams of torment came from the other side, but the laughter of the children and Asteroth was enough.

When the doors were opened to cover Vicki, she was suddenly incinerated and vanished.

"Victoria, no!" Henry howled, but it wasn't soon after that the fire enveloped him.

* * *

From the deepest sleep, Henry shot up and reached out as though he was still in the dream, but he was not. He was in the comforts of his bed where he had lied himself to sleep.

He looked to the clock and saw that only two and half hours had passed. For all intensive purposes, he should still be asleep right now.

How was it that a dream could force him out of his vampiric sleep cycle? What was the dream trying to tell him about Vicki Nelson and the demon Asteroth? Was something about to happen?

There was only one person that he could think of that would be able to use that sort of power and get a stir out of him.

He raced to the trashcan and grabbed the picture of Vicki and stared at her. For a second, he swear that he saw tears of blood falling from her eyes, but he refocused and it was gone.

He climbed out of bed and grabbed his cell-phone. He dialed the number.

"Hello," a voice answered.

"Coreen?" he said Vicki's assistant's name for the first time in weeks.

* * *

 _OK, again I will clarify, strictly research based and not a believer in this stuff._

 _Please review!_


	12. Chapter 12 -- I'm coming

_OK, here we will jump from location to location, but all of our characters are about to merge into Toronto towards the end of this chapter._

* * *

 **Chapter Twelve – I'm coming**

 _Toronto_

Coreen jumped for joy with the phone in her hand as she was so happy that Henry Fitzroy was on the other end of the phone. "Ohmigod Henry, you got our message?"

" _Our_ message?" his voice asked.

"Ours," she repeated the pronoun. "Mike's, mine, and Sinead."

* * *

 _Vancouver_

"Sinead," Henry repeated her name after Coreen had said it. "How did you do it?"

" _Never mind the details_ ," Coreen said. " _What did you see in your dream walk? Did you see why we have been calling you? What's going on here?_ "

"What is going on there?" he asked as he found his satchel bag and tossed it onto his bed.

" _Vicki and Asteroth are getting married next Friday_ ," she told him.

Henry about died…again when he heard those words in the same sentence. "Say that again. Vicki and Asteroth are…"

" _Getting hitched_ ," she told him. " _He has her under some sort of mind control, I'm sure of it. She nearly killed me and did kill Captain Crowley of the police and he's been slowly taking over the entire city. It is pretty much his now_."

"Why this Friday?" he asked as he was tossing clothes into the bag and things that he thought he would need.

" _Well hello, it's only Friday the thirteenth. Why not get married on that day? Hold on, Sinead wants to speak to you_."

" _Henry_ ," she greeted him.

"That was some wake up call Sinead," he berated her. "I am supposed to be asleep right now and your dream-walk has short-circuited by sleep cycle."

" _Only temporarily_ ," she told him. " _You'll be sleeping peacefully tomorrow morning. Just stay out of the sun until you are able to proceed back here_."

"That means I have to stay in my room for the rest of the day," Henry told her. "I haven't had a chance to have the blinds installed out in the main room yet so I cannot leave my room until the sun goes down."

" _Then you have time to tell me what you saw_ ," Sinead asked him. " _We only point you in the direction and you must have followed it to its ultimate conclusion_."

* * *

 _Toronto_

Sinead put the phone on speakerphone and set it near the book that Coreen was looking at.

" _I saw Vicki in labor having a baby_ ," Henry explained amongst the noises as he was no doubt packing to come home. " _Asteroth stood there with another small boy and refused to comfort her_."

"Most men who do not want be in a child's life do not," Mike spoke loud enough for him to hear.

" _But he said that that he could not_ ," the vampire replied. " _It was almost as if he was trying to break her_."

"Break her spirit maybe," Coreen said as she flipping though the old book pages. "What else?"

" _At the end, Vicki was standing before a set of doors_ ," he told them. " _She was willing to open these doors with her six children standing there_."

"Wait," Mike interrupted the conversation. "I thought you said that she only had two?"

" _In the next vision, I saw the two, Damien and Lilith…_ "

"Talk about name selections," Coreen chimed in.

" _They were there and they were older children, and there were four others of various ages from sixteen to newborn. They all embraced her before she placed her hands into the door locks and then..._ "

"And then what?" Sinead asked.

"She was burned alive and the fires of the underworld consumed the room. That's where the vision pulled me out and I awoke."

"Here it is again," Coreen said. "You can thank Dr. Sagara for this. She gave me a book that did explain Vicki's icons to me. Not only do Vicki's icons bind her to Asteroth for all of eternity, but they are also called "The Gateway Keys."

* * *

 _Vancouver_

"Translation?" Henry asked as he stopped to listen.

" _According to legend, the icons on her wrists are keys to the legendary Gateway de Diablo._ "

"Loosely translated as the Gates to Hell," he said. "What happens when these icons unlock the door?"

" _The icons were only supposed to release Asteroth, but now that he is here, the icons will simply open the doors…_ "

"Causing all the demons to be released," he finished her statement.

" _Pretty much, all Hell breaks loose_ ," Coreen said. " _See what you get when you ignore our phone calls_?"

Henry walked into his closet and pulled out a shoebox at the bottom of where his shoes were. Inside, was another cell-phone that he turned on. Once it was up, he saw over one-hundred voicemails were in his mailbox.

"I'm sorry about that," he said as he saw all the missed calls. "Must have not connected."

" _Well, you're coming back now, right?_ " he heard Mike say.

"Once the sun is down, I'll start the trip back to Toronto," he replied. "I have a girl to save. I should make it back there in about a day or two."

" _We look forward to your arrival_ ," Coreen said. " _I'll do research into finding a way to released Vicki from his mind control, but I would bring your own sword…just in case_."

Henry looked to the blade mounted on his wall.

"It's in the bag," he said and closed the phone.

Once the sun was down, Henry Fitzroy raced out of the apartment at full-vampire speed, practically dragging Tony along as they headed to the Jaguar.

"Where are we going?" Tony kept asking as he lugged the duffle with his items into the backseat.

"Have to help a friend," he replied and that was when his ward saw the sword.

"What are we going to do?" Tony asked. "Cut some trees down."

"Nope. Kill her soon-to-be-husband," he answered shutting the trunk. "If we're lucky." He went around and jumped into the driver's seat. "Sleep now Tony because you are going to have to drive during the daytime. It's over 2700 miles through to Toronto and I want to get there in less than three days."

"Are you insane?" Tony shouted. "We'll never do it in time."

Henry gently grabbed him behind the head and gave him a suggestion. "Vicki means everything to me," he told him. "I am not going to let her be dragged to the dark side by a demon. You will go to sleep and then awaken when we stop to change drivers."

The youth fell asleep once he released him and Henry put the car in gear and raced out of the garage to leave the city.

It would be the fastest to go through the United States, but he chose to stay in Canada since he knew were all the roads would lead.

"Hang on Vicki, I'm coming," he said as he drove.

* * *

 _Here comes the hero...to hopefully save the day! Please review!_


	13. Chapter 13 -- Bring on the Moon

_OK, this chapter is a little gory toward the end. If you are queesy, please skip the ending, but for all of you faithful, please read, enjoy, and then review_

* * *

 **Chapter Thirteen – Bring on the Moon**

 _CN Tower_

The tower was quiet, but that was only because Asteroth wanted it that way. He was sitting near the back corner of his castle as he awaited the arrival of Touron the dark priest. He was deep in thought and concentration.

He was trying to focus on the next stage of his plan.

Touron arrived and approached him. "Master, sir," he said. "I have completed all, but one of things that you have asked me to complete."

"Must you continue to be of little use to me?" he grumbled. "What was it?"

"I was unable to obtain a sacrifice for this evening, sire," the gnome said to him. "The people that are not loyal are fleeing the city and those that are staying are those that you need to bring about the Blood Moon."

He was upset and focused his eyes to where they were normal. "All I ask for you is to get me one measly sacrifice so I can call forth the Blood Moon, the most holy of moons in which when it is at its peak next Friday will allow me to have control of the city without my precious Victoria."

"Pardon sire?" he asked.

Raymond grabbed him around the collar of his robe and lifted him from his feet. "Lady Victoria is the key to keeping my control on the city and the province," he said. "I need her alive until she and I are married this Friday. Once she is mine to possess and control for all eternity, I won't need to concentrate all my power and keeping her as my slave."

"And then what sire?" the gnome asked again.

"Then we will consummate our love and she will begin the long line of bearing my demon offspring," he finished before releasing him.

"But I thought it was your goal for Lady Victoria to open the Gateway? What will the other demons think of your plan? You'll be betraying them"

"I can't have Vicki open the gateway until she has given me as many children as her body will allow," he told the priest as he stared out to the outside. "If she does it in reverse, she will be annihilated in the first flames that radiate from the underworld, with no guarantee that she will survive. No, she will be mine and we shall have our family before she is sacrificed herself. Call it the ultimate divorce clause." He dropped the priest to the floor where he landed in a huff.

The elevator dinged and he knew that his bride to be had returned from her day of mall-trolling.

"Get out," he ordered of Touron, "and do not make me find the sacrifice myself. Someone's blood had better be on that altar before nightfall."

Her counselor that traveled with her stepped out and announced, "Lady Victoria returns," she said.

Asteroth waved her away and that was when Vicki walked around the corner and there she was in all her perfection. He did not understand why he felt so close to the mortal Victoria, but there was just something about her that made her irresistible to him.

Especially in the outfit she was currently wearing. The black dress was cut short and shaped every part of her body, but it did look like she was wearing a proper vest with sparkles near her neckline.

"Welcome back love," he greeted her. "I take it you had a good day."

Vicki stretched out her arms and walked closer to him. "Not as much fun as I would have liked," she said upon stepping onto the dais where his throne was. She climbed into his lap and curled up. "How was your day?"

"The same," he told her, his arms encircling around her. "So much planning to do to get ready for the wedding, it never ends."

She chuckled. "Don't get over-stressed. You know what it can do to your 'prowess."

He knew exactly what she was doing. She was seducing him, and the fun part about it was that he was enjoying it. He recalled when she would have belted him one for coming within ten feet of her. Now under his control, she was his plaything.

Soon, they were passionately lip-locked. His hands grasped her tightly around the back of her neck to hold her to him as he kissed and nibbled at her neck and shoulder.

Vicki was his possession now and he wanted her now. Forget the marriage ceremony, he wanted her now.

Suddenly, something struck him. Power…no magical power was being used and it was unlike anything he had ever felt before.

Victoria crawled out of his lap and he tried to focus his thoughts and the visions that filled his head, but he could not and fell to the floor.

"What's wrong?" she asked him. "Touron!" she cried out.

He was seeing so many images at once. Pentagrams, candles, fire, cards, symbols, Vicki screaming, the doors to the underworld, the doors opening, children surrounding around him, voices…it was all too much and too fast.

Vicki was calling for more of the priests, but his vision cleared when he saw Henry Fitzroy, the vampire from Vicki's past life coming with a sword in his hand.

Then it was over. He had his clarity back.

The dark priests and his royal guard arrived, but he was able to get back to his feet.

"I'm fine," he said very angrily.

"You don't look fine," Vicki said to him. "Tell me, what can I do?"

He turned to face her.

"Stay here," he told her. "I won't be gone long. Do not leave this place until I return," he ordered as he walked away to leave the tower. "Do not let Lady Victoria out of your sight!" he said in a shouting tone. "I have something I have to take care of."

He left down one of the elevators.

Once to the base, he put out his hands to search for where the powerful magic had come from.

Asteroth finally focused near Lake Ontario and he knew where to start his search.

* * *

 _Sinead's lair_

Mike Celluci and Coreen Fennel were leaving after spending the day with Sinead and contacting Henry through the dream walking spell. Coreen tied up Dr. Sagara's book and put it into her sling.

"Are you sure that you will be safe here?" Mike asked Sinead the witch.

"I am safer nowhere else than here," she said to him. "This place is concealed from even the demon's tracking. He will not sense me down here."

"You should really stay with us" Coreen suggested. "You'd be safer than here."

"I will need to keep this place safe for Henry when he returns," she told him. "It is safe from the sun and he will need to be here during the daytime hours. I will not abandon my sacred fortress before my life be taken by any force. You should go."

Coreen hugged Sinead tightly. "Thank you," she said to her.

Sinead lightly returned the gesture. "Send him to me when he arrives," the witch asked her. "He will need all the power he can get to go against the demon."

"We'll do that," Coreen said and they left the lair.

The pair made their way out of the warehouse and out to the street.

There was a ticket on Mike's car for violating a parking meter, but that was the least of their concerns right now. They had to await Henry Fitzroy's arrival…whenever he got there.

* * *

Sinead was putting out the candles to begin another ritual of protection around herself, but a voice broke her concentration.

"Surely you do not need to protect yourself from me," the voice said.

From behind the bookshelf, there appeared the man who had taken the form of Asteroth into himself. His blood red eyes were focused on her.

"How did you find this place?" she asked him.

"Your powerful spell had sort of…what do mortals call it…a Low-jack effect," he said to her. "I didn't have to focus on you, but follow my nose along the entrails that you left behind in the wake of your spell. Very interesting spell you cast though. A vision quest if I am not mistaking."

"A dream walk spell," she corrected him, "but they both have the same goal in mind so they are similar."

"And what goal would that be my dear?" he asked her.

"A friend wanted to see where their future was going," she lied.

He was on her in a second with his hand around her throat and lifted her from the ground.

"You dare lie to me?" he asked her. "Now, let's try this again. Who were you showing the future too?"

"A friend," she repeated the lie.

He squeezed harder and then tossed her clear across the room. She smashed through an old bookshelf that was covered in potion making materials.

"I am telling you the truth," she said as she coughed to get the air out of her body. "I was helping a friend."

"A friend named Henry Fitzroy perhaps," he said.

"No," she lied.

* * *

Asteroth put his one free hand over her forehead and eyes so to use his powers to read the young witch's mind. He was able to do that and see what he had already seen, but he also saw that it was also concocted by Michael Celluci and Coreen Fennel.

They were helping in contacting Henry Fitzroy and bring him back to Toronto and succeeded when they spoke to him VIA cellular phone.

He completed from reading her mind and stared at her. "You've been a naughty girl Sinead," he said to her. "What sort of lord would I be if I did not punish you for your deceit?" He tightened his grip around her throat. "Although I have to say that I am happy that you are leading him here to Toronto to meet his certain death. Who better to slay Henry Fitzroy, bastard son of Henry the Eighth than the one person that he truly loves my wife Victoria Nelson? It's almost too good to be true."

He carried her to where an old loading hook and cable were hanging from the ceiling of the old warehouse and used his magic to bring it down. It came down to where he was able to secure the witch from the cable and leave her there.

"Just 'hang' tight for a second," he told her.

He dragged her over toward the center of the icon that she had used in her ritual and then transformed the marking into the very same markings that covered Victoria wrists.

It was perfect.

"I was in a bad mood because my priests could not find a sacrifice to bring on the Blood Moon for me," he told her as she was slowly gagging from being choked. "But what a wonderful opportunity you have provided with your betrayal."

He looked to his beeping watch and saw that it finally sunset in Toronto. "Perfect timing," he said. He reached for a sword that he had brought along for the search and showed it to her.

The witch's eyes were large and fearful as if she knew what was about to come of her.

"Thank you for betraying me after all Sinead," he told her. "You will be remembered for your services."

She tried screaming as he swung at her neck with the sword, cutting not the cable, but a perfect slit to where she would bleed out over the entire symbol he had created.

He put his hands out to his eyes and looked to the ceiling with the sword in his hands in celebrating his victory. "It has begun," he called, his voice echoing all over the room.

Sinead was dead within several minutes.

* * *

 _Told you that was a little gory. Please review!_


	14. Chapter 14 -- Nice to see you too

_After much delay (you know with being a parent, professional, housekeeper, chef, etc.) I have updated. Enjoy this little short one._

* * *

 **Chapter Fourteen – Nice to see you too**

 _Henry Fitzroy's Jaguar – En route to Toronto_

The black Jaguar traveled farther still on its journey from Vancouver to Toronto as Tony was asleep in the passenger seat and Henry Fitzroy was driving. They had just stopped to trade shifts and get Tony something to eat in the small town.

He had driven from Vancouver to Calgary and Tony drove from Calgary to Swift Current and now he was back in the driver's seat.

Henry thought that he could make it to Winnipeg before he would have to wake up his ward and trade off.

At least with the blackout curtain he had in the trunk, he was able to sleep for a while until he was forced back into the driver's seat again.

A day and half had passed in their long trip back to Toronto, but Henry knew that he had to get back there as soon as he was able.

Vicki needed him.

As he drove, he tried not thinking about Vicki giving birth to the children of Asteroth or the fact the demonic future that awaited her if she opened the Gateway to the Underworld.

It was all the radio's fault for making him think about her. It was some American superstar that was singing as part of the local station's nighttime programming top one-hundred countdown. The words went something like shadows filling empty hearts and to change the colors of the sky and the ways that I loved you.

It got him thinking hard about what would happen if he and Vicki defeated the demon and the moments that would follow. Would they get back together and finally advance their relationship that he had ended when he walked out of his front door and left her behind?

It was true. He shouldn't have left her with Asteroth running around. No! He shouldn't have left her at all.

"I'm such an idiot," he said to himself.

But he did not know that Tony was awake until he said. "Who's an idiot?" he asked.

Henry was quiet and did not respond to Tony's question.

Tony rolled away to look out the window.

"I'm talking about me," Henry finally said to him.

"Why you?" Tony asked.

"Because I am the one that left her there to fight Asteroth and instead of helping her…" he was cursing himself, while slamming his hands on the steering wheel. "I never should have left her. I'm the reason that she is marrying that demon."

Henry nearly swerved into oncoming traffic, if Tony hadn't grabbed the steering wheel and put them back in the correct lane

"Don't say that man," Tony replied, looking at him and holding the wheel. "You know that Vicki would never go willing to the demon. He has to have her under some spell or mind control or something like that."

He did not respond and instead took control of the car back.

"When we get to Toronto, you're going to save Vicki and break Asteroth's hold on her," he still tried to get him pumped up.

"If I can," Henry replied.

"I know you can," Tony answered back. "But if you can't, then I guess we are all doomed."

The car finally arrived in Ste St. Marie on the Canadian side and that where they would switch drivers and continue toward Toronto.

Finally, they were getting closer.

* * *

 **Michael Celluci's apartment**

Coreen Fennel was on her cellular phone again trying to call Sinead, but for the umpteenth time, she was not answering him.

Mike had finished getting ready to go into the station and was putting his pistol into holster when she hung up and tossed the phone across to the couch.

"Just so you know, you're not going to get better reception when you toss the phone across the room into furniture," he said to her.

"I have been trying to call Sinead for nearly a week now," she told him, "and she has not been answering her phone. I'm beginning to worry about her."

"Well, it is not like she can't take care of herself," he responded. "She has more magic than Houdini and David Copperfield combined. Besides, she did what she was supposed to do and Henry will be here soon and then we can use him to save Vicki." He was nearly interrupted by his telephone. "Yes, hello."

Coreen walked to the window, but was listening to the conversation.

"I think that I have a personal invested connection," he told whoever it was on the phone. "I don't think that I could provide the service that _his lordship_ and the _queen_ will need. Well, since you put it that way, how can I refuse? I'll be there at ten." He hung up.

"Who was that?"

"Oh that would be the interim Captain of the Police Department asking for assistance in security of Master Raymond Cascioli and Lady Victoria Nelson's joint Bachelor and Bachelorette parties this evening."

"Good," she said.

"Good?" he replied. "Did I miss the part where you said that is a good thing?"

"No. You can get into the party and maybe try and get Vicki to leave and come out to where we can try and knock some sense into her," she said. "Just in case if Henry doesn't come through in time." She reached for her messenger bag that had Dr. Sagara's book and her items.

"Where are you going? You don't think that the guards are going to allow _you_ to go to the party?" he said. "You were and I quote 'fired' as Raymond threw a candle on your cloak."

"I want you to take me by Sinead's," she said. "I have a bad feeling that something might be wrong with her and that is why she is not answering me."

"OK, but I am leaving you at the station so you don't get into trouble," he said and grabbed his long rain jacket.

Once to the overhang parking where his car was, they climbed in and were about to back out when another car pulled up and blocked them in the parking space.

"Stay here," Mike said and got out of the car. "Hey buddy, get out of the…"

And they both saw who climbed out of the car.

"Yeah, nice to see you again too Detective Celluci," the driver said.

It was Henry Fitzroy.

* * *

 _So he did make it on time. Let's see what happens. Review please!_


	15. Chapter 15 -- Strange Ideas

_Let us see if the Scooby-gang can solve their problem that they have with Sinead and the parties about to happen. Thank you to those of you that are writing to me for reviews for updating. I will get them in as soon as time permits._

* * *

 **Chapter Fifteen –Strange Ideas**

 _CHINATOWN_

The two vehicles made their way over to Chinatown and parked in the same place that Coreen and Mike parked when they had met Sinead in the first place. Henry and his friend Tony parked one car behind them, but all four got out at the same time.

"So how has life been treating you in Vancouver while we have been, oh I don't know, burning in Hell?" Mike asked Henry as they walked up the sidewalk toward the grotto.

"Existing," he replied.

"Define existing," Mike asked.

"Living, still drawing comics…"

"Living with younger men?" Mike jabbed his snoot comment at him.

"Hey," Henry said, putting a finger in his face, "let's get one thing straight. You called me. I did not have to come here and help you."

"Stop it," Coreen and Tony said simultaneously.

"You can argue about this on a future date," Coreen added. "Right now we need to know why Sinead is not answering her phone and to plan out our next move."

They walked into the abandoned building and made their way down the stairs and to the door where the grotto was.

However, it was cracked open.

Mike pulled out his pistol and had it ready in case someone was lying in wait for them.

Henry growled before they walked in as he became his true vampire form.

"What is it Henry?" Tony asked.

"Blood," he replied. "Lots of it."

"Oh no," Coreen whispered and charged passed them saying Sinead's name.

"Coreen," Mike tried to stop her by saying her name, but she was already inside the room before they caught up to her.

That's when everyone gasped.

Sinead was hanging overhead by a large hook and cable over where she thought their symbol that they had made for the dream-walk spell, but now it was something else.

Her blood was all over the floor which indicated she had been there ever since last Friday.

"This isn't the same," Coreen said as she inspected the floor icon.

"What isn't the same?" Henry asked.

"This is not the icon that Sinead and I painted on the floor," she told them. "It looks like…"

"The demon marking on Vicki's wrist," Henry said before he looked up and saw something on the wall.

The rest of the party looked and watched as bloody footprints led to a wall where a crescent moon was drawn in Sinead's blood. The same demonic marking was drawn in between the two points of the moon.

Henry was sniffing the icon and scanning it with his eyes to remember everything about it.

Tony was helping Coreen to remove Sinead from the cable and hook. She was limp and lifeless, but her wound where her neck had been slashed was clotted it over.

"We need to get her out of here," Coreen said. "Bury her."

"I agree," Mike said.

"This was only the beginning," Henry said. "Let's get it out of here."

Everyone left, taking Sinead with them.

* * *

 **UNIVERSITY** **OF TORONTO**

After taking Sinead to a local cemetery and burying her, everyone piled back into their cars and headed over to Betty Sagara's office. Henry insisted that he needed to talk to his former friend.

They walked into the campus office and there she was working at her desk.

"Ah Ms. Fennel," Betty greeted her. "I trust that you have come to return my book."

"One better," she replied. "Look who we found."

Her eyes went wide when Henry walked around the bend and into her office.

"Henry," Dr. Sagara said with excitement. She came around and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and a hug. "How good it is to see that you are alive."

"It is good to be home," Henry replied. "I missed everyone…you especially."

She came over to Coreen and gave her a quick kiss. "There is hope for you yet in the magic world," Sagara told her.

"We need some help," Henry told her. "We found Sinead dead with her blood draped over the same demonic marking on Vicki's wrists. There was also a picture of a moon with the same marking in the points on a wall. Ring any bells?"

Betty took the book that Coreen had removed from her bag and set it on the desk to flip through the pages. "There has to be something about her icons and the sacrifices…here it is," she announced.

Henry came over and was looking at the page. "The Blood Moon," he read the title on the page. "A powerful ritualistic ceremony that unseals the Gateway to the Underworld and will grant the powers to a new, dark world order occurs during a total lunar eclipse and when the moon turns red in color."

"But lunar eclipses happen all the time," Tony blurted out. "What is so special about this one?"

"When a total lunar falls during the dark holiday of Friday of the Thirteenth the powers of the underworld are able to escape, granting power to one or those who desire to take control of the power through the shedding of blood."

"Wait, what are you saying?" Mike interjected. "Are you saying that Vicki's blood is going to be spilled?"

"It is most likely that they are not talking about that kind of blood," Dr. Sagara said. "That is perhaps why we have not received an invitation to Vicki's baby shower."

"Oh god," Mike said.

"That's what I saw," Henry mumbled. "Vicki having numerous offspring for Asteroth." Henry walked away as he was thinking. "Asteroth is not going to have Vicki open the gateway until she has given him all the children that she can."

Everyone was in shock.

Mike's pager went off. "Oh, I am late," he said to everyone. "I have to get to the tower and provide security for both Vicki and Raymond's stag nights."

"Their both having parties?" Tony said. "Jointly?"

"I have no doubt they are having joint parties," Mike said. "I was asked to help security."

Henry looked to him. "Then why don't we crash the parties at the same time?" he suggested.

* * *

 _Oh boy, this is going to be interesting. Do you have your invitation? If you do, proceed...and review too._


	16. Chapter 16 -- Crashers

_It is time for the party. Let's see how demons and their human counterparts celebrate._

* * *

 **Chapter Sixteen - Crashers**

 _Vicki and Raymond's Bachelor and Bachelorette parties_

The CN Tower was bustling with activity as members from city offices and ranks within the city were filing in to celebrate the Bachelor and Bachelorette parties of Raymond Cascioli and Victoria Nelson. The lights pulsed as everyone filed in to the elevators to head to the top.

Henry knew that they were not going to be able to get into the party without invitations. Actually, if anyone saw that it was him, he would be staked on sight.

Coreen stayed close to him and was cloaked in all of her Gothic attire to hide her face. Tony had stayed behind at Mike Celluci's while they decided to infiltrate the party. He couldn't believe that he was wearing a long black wig and his leather pants mixed with some of Coreen's costumes that belonged to her former boyfriend Ian.

The guards escorted someone away from the elevators who was trying to go to the party, but was obviously not invited. The path was now clear.

Mike gave them a signal.

"There, go," Henry whispered and raced from around the pillar where they hid and slid into the elevator with Mike before they would shoot to the top.

"I'm going upstairs," Mike announced to the guards, "and keep the order near the elevators." He slipped in as though he was alone.

"As you wish Detective Celluci," one of the guards said to him.

One half of the plan was completed.

"How are we doing?" Coreen asked as the elevator shot to the top of the tower.

"Considering that we were not killed just now by royal guards," Mike said, "I think that we are doing well."

"What are we going to do when we get up there?" Mike asked. "I can't be mingling with the crowd because I am on detail."

"We're going to try and pull Vicki away from the party and we are going to abduct her," Henry said. "I doubt that she is going to go willingly, but if we can hold her hostage until the end of the Blood Moon weekend, Asteroth's plan will not work."

"Some plan," Mike said as they arrived to the top of the tower. They could see the pulsing lights and feel the music as it echoed off all of the walls. "Just try and not get caught."

"That's why you are here," Henry replied. "To arrest us so that you can let us go or convince them to not kill us for crashing."

Mike did not like that idea, but still, they headed into the posh Gothic nightclub that was also the beacon of the underworld.

Henry and Coreen moved through the swarms of dancing people and people that were schmoozing with others of their statures. It took some time to make it through the crowd, but they did find their way to where a blazing red light was shining down on the throne where Asteroth no doubt sat.

"He's not here," she said to him. "Where is he?"

"Forget Asteroth," he shouted so she could hear him. "Where's Vicki?"

And the music came to a stop as everyone turned to look in the same direction and cheer.

"I think we are about to find out," Coreen whispered to him.

From the outside observation deck and the hands of their "admirers" they watched someone announce that the future Lord and Queen of the Underworld, Lord Asteroth and Queen Victoria."

The pair walked around the corner and up to the platform where they could be seen by the crowd.

Asteroth was in his usual black on black without the priestly collar. His shirt was unbuttoned so that his chest and the dark icon of his reign were exposed.

Henry could not believe what Vicki was wearing most of all though. The black boots that had a strap that wrapped around her thigh with a too short leather black skirt with slits on both sides matched a corset that exposed a black lace top that covered over skin-tone silk.

Her eyes were covered in dark black eyeliner and she wore her hair in two long pigtail braids.

"Vicki?" he said her name.

Raymond lifted their hands that they had clinched with one another in celebration that they were being heralded by their subjects.

"And just how were we supposed to do this again?" Coreen asked.

* * *

Over the course of the evening, Henry and Coreen watched Asteroth and Vicki as they danced with each other, but it was not the fact that Vicki was dancing with him, but in the manner that she was.

Raymond had his hands thoroughly secured at the front of the corset while Vicki was gyrating her hips against his body, which he was clearly enjoying.

During the song, he arched his neck around and was practically strangling her which his kiss.

Henry wanted to jump at him, but Coreen kept him back in the corner where they would wait for their opportunity to get her alone and grab her.

Mike came close to them, but bypassed them only giving a look that he was heading closer toward Vicki.

He was nearly to her as she was reclined across Raymond's lap in the throne. He was feeding her grapes from the vine. She made it fun and offered him the grape as it rested on her tongue.

Raymond came forth and grabbed from where it resided.

The lights over the party turned blood red and the music ceased overhead.

"Bring in the sacrifice," Asteroth announced to the crowd and they howled.

From an out of sight area, priests carried in a large platform that had a body on it that was shackled hand and foot to it.

Coreen and Henry tried to get a better look of who was on it to see if it was anyone that they knew.

But when the priests set the platform down on the altar, they saw it was one of their own; a gnome looking demon in priestly clothes.

"Master," the demon called out to them, as Vicki and Raymond climbed out from the throne and walked casually arm in arm toward the struggling man. "What have I done to dishonor you?"

They looked to the priest and Henry pushed his way through to get a better view of what they were going to do.

"Touron," whom he assumed was his name when Raymond said it. "Touron, Touron. Your incompetence has put you here. If you had only gotten me the sacrifice I needed last time, I would not have selected you. Consider this an honor. You're going to allow my reign to be complete."

"Sire," he begged. "My lady. You mustn't do this."

Vicki took the curved edged knife from the priest and rapped the blade on her free hand. "And why shouldn't we?" she asked him. "It sounds like fun. Ruling the world in fear."

"But you do not know what he has planned for you," the priest was begging for his life. "He is going to…"

"I'm so over this," she said and then cut the demon's throat.

The crowed roared at what she had done and Henry could not believe what he was seeing. This was not the Victoria Nelson that he had left in Toronto all that time ago.

What sort of power did Asteroth have over her?

* * *

Raymond was cheering as his soon-to-be-bride Victoria slit Touron's throat before all their party guests. They were cheering as she held up the knife in her blood covered hands.

He couldn't have been have been in more heat with her right now.

She came to him and he savored his hands as they rubbed in the blood on her flesh and tasted its power on his own.

"I have never wanted anything or anybody more than I want you right now," he whispered to her amongst the screaming horde.

"Uh uh," she said, putting a finger to his lips. "You told me we had to wait, so we shall. Besides, it is Friday after all."

"I get to take you to bed in less than 24 hours," he lusted and pulled her as close to him as he could. "Each second I will count until this evening."

They shared a lustful lip-lock as their subjects congratulated them.

* * *

Henry knew that he wasn't going to be able to get them alone, so it was time for a more direct approach.

He was just going to have to grab Vicki and take her by force.

Coreen was trying to get through the crowd to get to Henry before their ruse was broken. As she was moving through the crowd, she bumped into someone and her wig fell off her head.

She turned and there was Kate Lam staring her down.

"You," Kate said. "You're a wanted fugitive."

She made a quick dive into the crowd and knew that she had to get out the party. She made it to Mike who was still watching the party, but he was looking for her and Henry at the same time.

"We need to go," she said to him.

"Why? What is up?" he asked.

"Kate Lam says that I am a felon. We need to get Henry and get the royal Hell out of here."

Coreen dove and went to grab Henry, but he was about to charge forward and go toward Vicki and Asteroth.

"Henry," she called to him.

He looked but turned back to look at the couple.

"Fitzroy," Mike blurted out his name.

* * *

Asteroth was kissing his soon-to-be-bride when his powerful hearing heard two words that chilled him to the bone.

Henry and Fitzroy.

He immediately broke the kiss and turned toward where he had heard the voices.

His eyes locked on a man wearing a long black wig and Gothic attire. There was Fitzroy and he also saw Coreen Fennel trying to grab him nearly twenty feet from them.

"Guard!" he shouted and parted from Victoria. "Guards!"

* * *

Mike heard the call for and saw the guards from around the elevator area as they were coming in the direction in which they were standing.

"That's our cue to leave," he ordered.

"Henry, come on!" Coreen shouted.

* * *

Henry did not want to leave, but he found that he could not avoid it further, even as he believed that he made eye-contact with Vicki.

He saw confusion and pain in her eyes, but he didn't know if it was toward him or something else.

"Fitzroy, let's go!" he heard as Mike dragged him toward the elevators.

* * *

Mike elbowed a guard and they got into the elevator to go down.

"What were you thinking?" Mike shouted at him. "You nearly got us all on that table with that demon that is bleeding on their living room carpet."

Henry punched his hand into the door causing a sizeable dent with his fist and growled.

When the cab reached the bottom, there were guards waiting for them.

Mike shot a couple of the demons with his pistol while Henry grabbed one and tossed him into the group of more of them.

They made a dash out to the parking lot to Mike's car and got in to take off out of the parking lot. He wound up smashing into two other cars in order to jump the curb and get out faster.

They were shot at by police officers, but they were able to escape.

"Oh that was close," Coreen said.

"But we're still not any closer to saving Vicki," Mike said as he drove, "and I might add that we are probably going to be Toronto's Most Wanted by morning. We're never going to be able to be able to save her now."

Henry stared out the window and made no reply.

One of their cell-phones started ringing and they saw that it was Mike's that was ringing on his belt. But the number read VICKI'S CELL.

"Oh this cannot be good," he said and flipped the phone open. "Detective Celluci."

* * *

 **CN Tower**

Victoria Nelson had called Michael Celluci with her cell-phone. The guests at their bachelor and bachelorette parties were filing out as fast as the elevators could get the people back to the ground, so her evening was ruined.

"I have to honestly say to you Mike I never thought that you could sink so low into coming to crash my bachelorette party, but to bring Henry Fitzroy to it. You are an ungrateful son-of-a-bitch," she said to him. "I get rid of Crowley, which gets you reinstated and this is how you repay me."

" _I am trying to save you from that demon Vicki_ ," Mike replied. " _You are not yourself. He has you under a spell and you refuse to see it_."

Asteroth was pissed off in his throne as he waited for her to finish the conversation. His hand held his face up as his elbow was braced on one of the armrests.

"Well, I can see that I made a very bad decision when I decided that I was going to try and spare your life," she told him. "Now I am going to have to make an example of you and Coreen." She thought as she heard Henry growling in the background. "Turn me on speakerphone Mike."

The sound echoed as she knew that she was on speakerphone.

"Hello Henry," she said to them and she waited for a response from him. "Look I know that you can hear me so let me just tell you one thing. I will be marrying Asteroth tomorrow and there is nothing that you can do about it. Make any attempt to come to my wedding to stop it, I swear I will slit your throat myself. Be advised."

And she shut the phone to disconnect the call, spinning on her heels toward her husband-to-be. Raymond was concentrating, but furious in his face at the same time.

"Do you think that he would be stupid enough to come here?" Raymond asked her.

"Stupid?" she said. "No, stupidity won't bring them here."

"Then what will?" he asked.

"Love, or his twisted sense of the word," she replied as she straddled her legs over his to sit in the throne with him. "He'll come and we can make him the final sacrifice to seal your control of the Underworld."

 _"Our_ control of the Underworld," he corrected her choice of words.

They were kissing when a female priestess entered the room.

"Lady Victoria, it is time," she cautiously said to her.

Vicki looked to the woman there. "Time for what?"

"To begin your preparations for tonight," the priestess said. "You need to sleep and be cleansed in proper ritualistic fashion before your wedding. One ritual missed or one not done correctly will not allow you take control."

"Torsha is right," Raymond told her, smoothing her legs that were exposed from the skirt. "You need to go. I'll make sure that you are protected by my best guard. Malik," he called.

The large man that towered over them walked in and crossed his arms. "You called master?" he asked.

"Yes Malik. Stay as close to my bride as you are allowed," he ordered. "Let no one within ten inches of her without my expressed permission."

They kissed one last time and she slowly followed behind Torsha and Malik followed close behind her.

* * *

Asteroth was very upset so once Victoria was out of the room, he summoned all his guards to come to him. He stood from the throne and faced them all as he was surrounded in a semi-circle around the dais where his throne was.

"I will not allow the opportunity for Henry Fitzroy and the mortals to spoil my plans," he growled. "I offer ten-thousand dollars and a spot at my left hand for the first one to bring me their heads. Kill them, torture them, I care not, but I want them dead." The guards continued to stare at him. "You're still here? Go!" he howled.

The guards dispersed on their mission.

Now, per that they were able to kill Coreen Fennel, Mike Celluci, and Henry Fitzroy, his plan was nearly reaching fruition.

Now they just had to make it to midnight.

* * *

 _Uh oh! Please Review._


	17. Chapter 17 Much Needed Help

_A threat has been made. Let's see if they will heed her warning._

* * *

 **Chapter Seventeen – Much needed help**

 _Nelson Investigations_

Coreen Fennel ducked from the flying punching bag that had been hanging off the chain as it went soaring over her head and crashed into the couch behind her.

Henry was in the process of tearing Vicki's former office apart. He had already destroyed the sofa where the punching bag now lied, but it was to be expected.

After all, Vicki did threaten to kill him.

Mike entered the office after trying to clean up the front area from where Henry had swiped everything off of her desk. "What are you doing Fitzroy?" he shouted at him. "This is not going to help."

"Isn't it?" Henry replied as he lifted Vicki's desk and pushed it sideways up against the wall.

Mike squatted down next to her as she was trying to avoid the debris that he was throwing. "What are we going to do when he runs out of stuff to throw?" he asked.

"I'm more worried about if he finds any sharp pointed objects and keeps throwing like he plays for the Jays," she said.

Henry suddenly pushed over one of the filing cabinets and fell to his knees in weakness.

They slowly stood up as he collapsed to the floor. The damage that Henry had caused in his rage was extensive, but in a way justified.

"I never should have left," he said at a whisper. He was heaving in breath; almost as if he was going to cry.

Coreen leapt over the damaged goods and tried to console Henry. "There wasn't anything you could have done Henry," she said to him. "He would have found another way to seduce Vicki."

"But I could have stopped it," he said. "I'd rather be dead than see Vicki seduced by that darkness and dark magic that Asteroth has her in."

"You're damn right you could have," Mike snapped at him. "If you hadn't left her and made Vicki feel completely vulnerable and alone, she would not be out there getting ready for her demon wedding. She would be here getting ready to charge in there; even if it meant that she was going to die in the process."

"You're not helping Mike," she snapped at him.

"Well forgive me for saying that you and I are on her hit list for trying to save Vicki," he snapped back, pointing to Henry who was now standing to stare at him. "We never should have called him. We should have done this ourselves."

"And what would you have done Celluci?" Henry said. "Pleaded with Asteroth to release Vicki or would you attempt to try and kill him yourself."

"That's it you son-of-a-bitch!" Mike grabbed him at the shoulders and the two men started brawling.

"Mike!" Coreen shouted.

They tussled on the floor, knocking over a plant stand, and finally Mike was trying to strangle the vampire, but Henry kicked him across the room and went to grab the corner table when he suddenly stopped.

He reached down on the floor for something, but Mike grabbed him from behind to try and take him out, but with a swift elbow, Henry caught the officer in the nose.

"All right, you sit down," Coreen shouted and kept Mike sitting over the punching bag on the couch. She noticed that he was looking at something as he stood upright. "Henry, what is it?"

"I think I know how to disable Vicki and her powers," he mumbled as he smoothed something in his palm. He turned to face them and showed what he was holding.

"Oh my god," she whispered.

"Is that what I think it is?" Mike asked.

"It is," Henry said staring at the one thing that nearly killed him about a year ago.

The Illuminasium Del Sol was in his hand.

"Vicki kept this after Javier Mendoza tortured me," they heard him say to himself as he smoothed over the sun's rays and face. "I didn't even know she had it." He clinched it tightly in his palm.

"This is a good thing," she blurted out.

"What?" Henry stated.

"Finding the Illuminasium Del Sol is a good thing. We can use it on Vicki and drain her powers, maybe even break the connection between Vicki and Asteroth." Mike was so assured that it would work.

"No," Henry said and was about to leave the office with the weapon. "I won't use it on Vicki."

"And why not?" Mike said. "You have not seen Vick's powers in action. She roasted Captain Crowley alive and has telekinetic powers. We won't get anywhere near her unless we take all her powers away and that toy of yours might be our only shot…"

"I am not going to stake this into Victoria's chest!" Henry shouted. "She could be killed."

"Well, I think that is a risk that we are going to have to take," Coreen replied. "I do not feel like being killed by the Queen of all Bridezillas out there. Unless you can think of something else to bring down Vicki's powers, then I don't know what plan you have, but it would be nice to share."

Henry had to admit that he did not have a better plan. He knew that Vicki was going to die or she was going to kill them when they got close to her. Either way, their situation was looking a little grim.

His phone started ringing and he answered it. "Tony," he answered the caller's ID number.

"Henry, you might want to come back to the loft. We've got company."

He was scared for his ward and went running for the car.

* * *

 **Henry's loft**

Henry rushed from the garage to the elevator with Mike Celluci and Coreen who were having a hard time keeping up with him. He did not know what sort of danger Tony was in by the way he stated "company," so he knew that he had to get back and help him.

With his eyes blackened over and his teeth borne, he shoved open his old loft's door and saw Tony standing near where his art table would have been set up. He had the sword held against his chest in protection.

"Henry," Tony called out to him.

"Tony, are you OK?" he asked.

"We didn't touch him," the voice of the person that was standing directly in front of Tony amongst the group of vampires that he could sense that stood before him. "He was quite tempting though." The person turned to him. "You did always like young ones. Nice to see you again Henry."

He lowered his face and guard and pushed Celluci's gun down to put it away. "It's nice to see you as well…Christina."

And there stood his sire and creator with a hoard of vampires at her side.

* * *

 _Oh this is definitely not going to be good._


	18. Chapter 18 -- Friend or foe?

_We all know that Christina would be furious with Henry, but what would she do to Vicki if given the chance? You will have to read to find out. Please continue to review._

* * *

 **Chapter Eighteen – Friend or Foe?**

After the brief and tense reunions with Christina, it was clear as to why she and the contingent of vampires now stood in Henry Fitzroy's living room.

Henry sat in the large armchair staring at Christina across in the same style chair. She was reclined back with her legs crossed seductively before her body. She had a nail file in her hand as she filed her razor red nails to a sharp point.

Mike Celluci, Coreen, and Tony stood behind him, while the vampires stood behind Christina's chair.

"So let me get this straight," Mike Celluci said as he stood on the mortals' side of the room behind him, "you want to break the one sacred law of the vampires and work together as a team."

"It is the only way that we are going to be able to get done what we both want to get done," Christina said as she placed the nail-file into her jacket pocket. "I for one am neither a friend nor ally to Vicki Nelson, but I do not want to be ruled by her."

"None of us do," the vampire male on her right said.

"It's OK Casen," she gestured to him and held his hand before she continued to talk to Henry. "I've got it."

"What makes Vicki a threat to you?" Tony blurted out.

"She is the Gateway boy," Christina replied sitting up erect, "but Asteroth is not going to use her to open the doors."

"We know," Coreen chimed in. "Asteroth is going to make Vicki have hoards of demon children before he does…"

"Which in turn makes them the majority and us vampires the minority," Christina said to her. "We have to strike at them first."

"Wait," Mike spoke out. "How does five kids…"

"Eight," Henry corrected him.

"OK, eight children. What do "eight" children have against a thousand or so vampires? How do they become a threat to you?"

"These eight children," Casen said, "are all reborn demons of hell. Once they are born, they will have the dark powers of the demon that they once were. As they grow, their powers grow. Once they multiply, there is no stopping what they will do to this world. Vampires will be open season once these kids come of age."

"Don't go painting it all rosy on our account," Tony mumbled, but everyone could hear him.

"Do you have a plan?" Mike asked.

"As a matter of fact…" she started saying before Henry interjected.

"One that doesn't involve killing Vicki as the end result?" he said, not moving from his comfortable position.

"No," she replied. "None of Vicki's blood will be spilled. A pity really." Christina stood from the chair and petted Casen's face lovingly before she walked around between the vampire hoard and the chair. "We will distract the guards and the priests on the ground level, allowing you to access the top the tower just as the wedding is about to begin. When we have sufficiently cleared that level, you will have our "support" in trying to break the spell hold that Asteroth has over Vicki."

"What if she is not under some spell?" Henry asked as he stood up slowly. "What if she is doing it willingly?"

"Then I guess you'd better find a way to weaken or destroy her before it is too late," Christina said. "The moment when Asteroth's and Vicki's blood are joined, we might as well line up and one by one, allow them to stake, behead, or fry us at first light."

"So now we've moved up from crashing their bachelor and bachelorette parties to stopping their wedding," Mike said. "This is going so well."

"Feel free to bow out detective," Henry said, turning to face him. "There is a sure bet that Vicki or Asteroth will kill you on sight."

Mike reached for the shotgun that was poised against the wall. He cocked the weapon. "All guts, no glory," he replied. "Someone has to save Vicki when you can't do it…"

"Would you kill her, if you had to Detective Celluci?" Christina asked him with her seductive tone.

"To keep her from killing innocent people, yes," he said, "but to spare her a life of torment at Asteroth's hands, I would kill her in a heartbeat."

Henry growled quietly at him.

"Hey, you are the one who doesn't want to use that Illuminasium Del Sol on her Cujo," he snapped at the vampire. "If you won't use it to save her and I can't get it from you, then I will use excessive force to save her."

They all heard a beeping noise and Tony saw that it was his watch.

"Sorry to interrupt," Tony said, "but it is forty-five minutes to sunrise. Henry, you need to…"

"I'll go to one of the clubs," Henry said. "The rest of you, stay north of Saint Claire and east of Mount Pleasant. You all should be able to find something down there to feed on. Leave no traces of your presence unless you want to be hunted down by Asteroth's demon squads. There is an old warehouse down there where you all can sleep for the night."

"We'll be ready by sunset," Christina said. "Let's go boys."

And with her command, the vampires cleared out of the loft.

Mike walked up behind Henry to say something to him. "Do you honestly think you can trust her?" he asked.

"No," Henry answered, "but we don't have a choice." He walked away and headed to feed.

* * *

In the elevator that headed back down to the ground level so that she and her latest newborn lover Casen continued to go out to hunt where Henry Fitzroy had instructed them to go.

They rode the cab down in silence, but Casen wanted to bring up an issue that was plaguing them both.

"So, are we really going to help Fitzroy in saving his precious Vicki Nelson?" Casen asked her.

"We'll clear the path for him to reach her," she said to him, "but accidents do happen. We'll make sure that Henry gets to the top of the tower…just before we slit her throat and finish her off before she spawns even one of her demon offspring."

Casen smiled at her with his fangs showing. "Your plan, I like much better."

They kissed before the doors opened and they headed out to feed and seek shelter before the sun rose.

* * *

 _Seriously, if you are surprised that Christina would come here to save Vicki, boy you need help. Let's see if they save her or kill her. Review and read to find out._


	19. Chapter 19 -- Wedding from Hell

_It's the wedding from Hell. There is a battle to be won...but lets see who is going to win. Watch for the shifts in the characters' perspectives and read it in pace to keep up with the action._

* * *

 **Chapter Nineteen – Wedding Battles**

 _The CN Tower_

It was the biggest news in the entire world, Lord Asteroth marrying mortal Victoria Nelson. No one was allowed to attend the ceremony, but dark priests and guards were welcome to attend.

From deep within the tower, a recessed pool of boiling fluid bubbled beneath glowing red lights. Several priests surrounded the pool. Some held towels and others held pieces of the uniform for their master.

Asteroth rose from the pool slowly as he stepped up each step. The liquid slowly dripped from his body and the priests covered his body in towels so to clean him. Once dry, he put on the black silk shirt and stepped into leather pants which the priests pulled up his legs.

His eyes that were blood red returned to normal when he blinked to flush the fluid out.

The priests put on his silver gauntlets and the demon marking choker on his neck before he was fully assembled for his wedding.

* * *

In her private chamber, Victoria Nelson's attendant pulled on the metallic black corset that covered her upper body and she was sealed in with all the buckles across the back. Her long black veiled skirt already donned her legs with the corset draped slightly over it.

She slipped into the silver armbands at her biceps that had long black veils that fell down her arms and near her feet.

Torsha brought her new symbolic necklace around behind her mass of braids and curls for her hair and she clipped it around tightly.

She did the same to the silver forehead band that encased her head around with a large black onyx stone in dead center between her bridge.

Now she was ready to get married.

"How do you feel my lady?" Torsha asked her.

And Vicki provided a regular response. "Like any bride about to see her husband," she told her. "Nervous…yet excited. I'll be glad when it is over and I can be with my husband…in the truest sense of the word."

She took her red roses in hand and headed out for the biggest moment in her life.

* * *

The priests were gathered and the new head priest was standing beside Asteroth when she stepped into the room from the elevator. It was finally time for their union to be complete.

And finally he saw his vision of a bride appear.

* * *

Vicki slowly walked down the aisle toward the dais toward her future. She was energized to see her husband standing there waiting for her. His eyes scanned her from top to bottom without so much as a movement of his head.

* * *

Asteroth stood there in lust of his soon-to-be-bride that was walking toward him. He could not believe how beautiful she was in her dark gown. It would be a long and bliss-filled night once the audacious and essential ceremony was over.

Hopefully, she would be pregnant by the end of the night and their long line of domination would begin.

* * *

 **Ground Floor**

Down on the ground floor, demon guards encircled in the entire lobby area and created an armored and armed wall around the elevator loading area. They would not budge unless they were accosted by an intruder.

Behind one of the walls, Henry Fitzroy, Coreen Fennel, Mike Celluci, Christina, her lover Casen, and her group of seven vampires that she had brought along on this trip all hid in order to not be seen. Once they were, their element of surprise was no longer viable.

Henry peered around the wall and saw all of the guards that stood there; interfering with their access up. He pulled back. "One wall of armored guards blocking the pathway," he told the group. "They won't move."

"Not without a little distraction," Christina said from directly behind him. He could feel her breath on the back of his neck. "Someone that will force them to move."

"Great. Any volunteers?" Mike blurted out.

Christina turned to face the one that she thought would really get their attention.

* * *

Coreen walked out from behind the pillar, slowly as she tried to make her way toward the elevators where she could get the guard's attention.

Several of them looked to her as she walked, causing her uneasiness, but being that she was the one without a weapon other than homemade ones, it was natural that Christina would have suggested that she be the one doing the distracting.

The guards finally took notice to her being there, looking in her direction.

"Hey boys," she said to them. "Can someone tell me am I late for the wedding or can I just come in a find a seat in the back."

"No one is allowed to the wedding," one of them said as he stepped out from the center of the group to come close to her. "Least of all you, _Ms._ Fennel. You're coming with me."

"Oh shit," she quipped and ran away toward the vampires.

"After her!" the guard shouted and several chased after her.

She knew that she had to get a far enough head-start on guards before the first part of their plan could work.

Coreen looked down and saw the line that she had to make it to before she was caught. She kept running passed it through.

* * *

Henry and Mike watched as Coreen passed the point that they needed her to get to before she was accosted.

"Now!" Mike shouted to Fitzroy.

Henry tossed a large spool of wire across to him and he pulled it taut, just as two of the guards went running into the wire, slitting their throats.

Two of the guards that noticed their comrades be killed stopped before they reached their own demise and looked to head back.

Casen and another vampire were there to stab them before they could get away.

More guards were arriving to the commotion, which now meant that they had their opening in order to get upstairs.

"Christina," he called to his sire and tossed her his sword in order to kill the guard coming at her from behind.

Christina took the sword and spun around in time to decapitate the guard. "Thank you love," she complimented and tossed the blade back to him. Casen came and gave her a weapon of her own, a long rapier. "But I have my own."

"I've seen the exit," Mike said. "We can go up to the observation level and hopefully we are not too late."

"You and Coreen go up the elevator and see if you can buy some time," Henry told them. "I am going to take the stairs. It's time we ended this."

* * *

They watched from the entrance that they were nearby as more guards were appearing to replace their fallen brothers.

"You best go now," Christina said. "We have things down here."

Henry took off for the stairwell, but Coreen and Mike were about to leave when Christina called out to Mike to stop him.

"Detective," she said.

"What?" he replied.

"In case you can't stop Vicki or she has her complete assemblage of powers, you are going to want this," she said as she placed a cold object in his palm.

It was the Illuminasium Del Sol.

"Wait, how did you get this?" he asked.

The new group of guards was coming. "Don't ask, don't tell," she suggested to him with her mind control. "Don't let Vicki and Asteroth become one. You have to weaken her and this is the only thing that will do it. Now go!"

Mike and Coreen went running for the elevators and headed for the tower.

Christina sneered. Everything was going according to her own plan.

Hopefully, Vicki was already united with Asteroth in marriage and Detective Celluci would have no choice but to use the ancient weapon on her.

But to savor in that vision would come later. Right now, she had her own life to worry about.

* * *

 **Ceremony**

Asteroth and Victoria's wrists were both cut open by the dark priest and the blade in his hand. He took each of their wrists in his hands and brought the open gashes together.

Slowly their blood was beginning to fuse together.

Vicki could feel the power surge through her body and Asteroth could see the future children that she would bare for him in the future. It was all worth it.

The red moon glowed brightly above them and they savored that soon this evening would be as they longed it to be.

The priest continued in the vow. "With the blood joined, let no force part," he said. "Let this blood moon shine down on this new…"

The ding from the elevator distracted the priest from the ceremony as did Asteroth and Vicki who were none too thrilled with this interruption.

But the guards were on the intruders in a second and took them down.

Vicki looked and saw that it was Coreen and Mike that had tried to interrupt her ceremony. The guards relinquished the shotgun from Mike and took a bag from Coreen.

She stepped off the dais and walked towards them. "Where on this green Earth did you get the idea that you could come here?" she said. "You must be stupid to think that you could stop this."

"We're trying to save you Vicki," Coreen said.

Vicki slapped her across the face. "I knew it was a mistake to try and save you." Then she turned to Mike. "I thought you would be happy that I wasn't going to be with Henry anymore and this is how you thank my generosity."

"I'm not going to watch you throw your life and this realm away by marrying him," Mike responded. "You are making a mistake."

"Victoria, love," Asteroth called out to her, "they will not understand, but maybe we can remedy our ceremony. I mean, we still need one more sacrifice to seal our control of this world. Why not two just to even the pot."

Vicki smirked at the idea. "I hope you're happy now," she whispered to them. "Once I say 'I do," you die."

They struggled as walked back to her soon-to-be-husband.

"All right, let's finish this," she told the priest. "Where these two are, Fitzroy can't be far behind."

"Talking about me," a voice called out to them.

And there Henry stood, killing the guards that held Coreen and Mike and then held a sword in front of his body for them to see. "Did I miss the part about 'does anyone object to this union?"

Her husband stepped off the dais this time, ready to confront her former friends and companions. "I knew you had to come," he said. "Your little witch friend's spell not only showed you what is to come, but I was able to intercept it as well."

"And I am going to avenge Sinead for her death," the vampire told him. "You are not leaving this place alive this time and I am not going to bother trying to reseal you in the Underworld. I am going to destroy you."

From the demon's glowing hand, a sword appeared and he was ready to use it.

"Victoria, you want revenge?" he asked.

"Do I ever?" she said as she came to stand at his side. She snapped her arms downward to her sides and there in place of her silver gauntlets appeared the two bracelets that were the epicenter of her power. "I'll deal with them."

"Oh crap," Coreen said and she and Mike went running away, but Vicki blasted at them with a fireball from her hand.

They escaped, but she gave chase.

* * *

Asteroth in the body of Raymond Cascioli and Henry Fitzroy walked around in a circle; both of their blades scraping the floor gently.

"Are you ready to die 'friend?" Cascioli said to him.

"My friend died the moment you took over his body," he replied. "I'm going to free his and Vicki's soul from your control." He brought the sword out before him.

"You'll never take her back from me," Cascioli said to him as he pulled out a glowing blue ball from within his pocket. "Want to take a guess at what this is?"

Henry knew right off. "Vicki's soul."

Asteroth put it right back in his pocket. "Come and get it demon," he dared him.

"With pleasure," and Henry attacked him.

* * *

Coreen was hurrying around the altar to the back area of the observation area, screeching that she knew that she was in trouble with Vicki chasing her and Mike.

Mike rounded the corner, but had to dive for a table for cover when a stream of fire radiated from Vicki's hand and nearly incinerated him.

"Vicki, you don't want this!" she shouted.

And Vicki looked to her. "Why not Coreen? I chose this life to spare you and Mike any pain. I should set fire to the office with the both of you trapped inside."

She was hurt by the statement, but knew that this was not their Vicki that was talking. It was the evil in her that needed to be flushed out.

Coreen could see her bag just away from her, but if she attempted to get to it, Vicki no doubt would roast her.

While Vicki was focused on firing on Mike, she made a flying dash for the bag.

Vicki attempted to fire on her with her other hand, but she missed and hit one of the priests instead. "Get out of the way you gnome!" the queen cursed at the priest for allowing her to miss her.

"Thanks dude," she said and grabbed her messenger satchel.

"What are you up to Coreen?" Vicki teased her as she was shuffling through the bag. "Going to try some magic on me? Won't work." She blasted fire at her, but she was hidden behind the wall that separated her from the main tower and the observation desk. "You can't defeat me."

"Vicki!" Mike shouted and Coreen saw that he had his shotgun aimed at her. "Get away from her."

Vicki turned away and toward Mike.

"What are you going to do with that Mike?" Vicki dared him. "Shoot me?"

"I don't want to, but if it comes to it, I most certainly will," he told her.

Coreen found what she was looking for, a small bag with a potion powder in it that was going to take away her indestructibility. She also found to home-made flash bombs in order to blind in her in case they needed a distraction.

"Then what are you waiting for?" Vicki dared him further.

"Me!" Coreen shouted and tossed the potion bag at her.

The bag imploded on impact against the back of her corset and exploded against the metal buckles. A white glow encased her and then vanished.

"Holy cow it worked," she shouted with glee.

Vicki whipped around and blasted her with a fireball in anger.

She did not get a chance to avoid it as it struck her in the arm. Her sleeve caught on fire and she had to tear it off to keep from incinerating.

"Coreen!" Mike shouted in worry.

She bashed her arm against the wall to put out the embers and saw that the burn wasn't serious, but it hurt.

"I'm OK," she shouted.

"Not for long," Vicki said.

Mike took his shot with the shotgun and struck her with the butt in the back of her corset as well. She fell to the ground in a heap.

"How's that for you, your highness?" he said and went to check on Coreen. "Oh God."

"I'm fine," she replied. "A little singed, but I'll be OK."

They both heard a groan and realized that Vicki was not yet defeated.

"We'd better go," Mike said and helped her to her feet so they could run to find a different place to hide and fight.

* * *

Asteroth and Henry Fitzroy continued their battling with their swords. Each took quick swipes at one another, but the demon was trying to stab the vampire repeatedly.

Henry dove upward into a somersault and came down into a crouch, but was able to block the attempted swipe of the demon's sword before he got him.

"Impressive vampire," the demon said, his red and his black eyes both thoroughly locked on each others. "You are a splendid fighter."

"When you come from my century," Henry growled, "you know this stuff." He swiped at him, but now they were toying with each other. "Why is it that you have to make my life a living hell every time we meet?"

"Pleasure, of course," Asteroth said and their swords clashed several times before they continued their conversation. "I have to thank you though Fitzroy. Your meddling in my affairs have brought my soulmate and I together. Together we shall bring this mortal world to its knees…"

"While you have her on her back for the next fifteen to twenty giving birth to your demonic offspring?" Henry challenged.

"I have to admit, I almost feel bad that the Gateway will destroy Vicki when she opens it," the demon said, "but once she has given me all the children that she can bare, I will have no further use for her."

The blades met again.

"I won't let you have her," he told the demon. "I'll die before I let her be yours."

"I'll be sure to let her know that, after I am through with her tonight," Asteroth said to him.

Henry growled furiously and attacked the demon the hardest since they started their battle.

* * *

Coreen and Mike stood on separate sides of a long pathway in order to make Vicki choose who she was going to attack first. She was infuriated with the both of them so it would confuse her enough to where she would not be able to decide.

"What are we going to do?" she asked him. "We can't just wait for Henry to neutralize Asteroth and hope that she snaps out of it. And we can't wait to see if she is going to fun out of flames anytime soon."

"Then we are going to have to neutralize her in the only way I know how," Mike said as he reached into his pocket. "Distract her for a second," he told her as he dashed away.

"Wait, why me?" she asked.

And that is when Vicki appeared from around the bend.

Vicki grabbed her on the burn on her arm and squeezed it as she dragged her out into the open area. She tried squirming away, but she was in too much pain to do it.

"This time Coreen, when I say fired," she said with a glowing ball in her hand, "I mean fired. Sorry it couldn't have worked out better for us."

"Bomb her Coreen!" she heard a voice call out to her.

Coreen reached for the flashbomb in her pocket and tossed it into the fireball that was coming at her.

It produced a huge flash that blinded Vicki and even her as she could not block her vision from the flash before it hit.

"Now Mike!" she shouted.

Mike got his arms around her throat and with a quick thrust, was able to place the Illuminasium Del Sol on her chest before releasing her.

Vicki recoiled suddenly and the fire that was glowing her hands faded.

It was working. She was losing her powers.

* * *

Asteroth attempted to swipe at Henry Fitzroy who was defenseless after his sword had been knocked away, but suddenly, he was hit with a severe drain of his powers.

His mind went into overload as he slowly lost control of the people that controlled Toronto and they resumed their lives as though his powerful control had never come to pass.

He also noticed that he was losing control of Vicki. He looked to his wife who was recoiling and he saw something in her chest. It was an energy draining weapon of some sort.

He bellowed out a, "NO!" and he collapsed to his knees in weakness.

* * *

Henry looked to Vicki who fell to her knees, but he could see the Illuminasium Del Sol upon her chest as it glowed while removing her powers.

But how could Mike or Coreen have gotten a hold of it when it was supposedly at the condo with Tony where he left it?

He knew who was responsible for getting it, even without the proof.

* * *

Christina and Casen with the rest of their vampire allies were fighting off the newest set of the guards when suddenly the guards stopped fighting them.

The guards grabbed the sides of their armored heads and were howling toward the sky in agony.

They looked and watched as the red moon suddenly returned to its normal white glow.

"Yes," she cheered. "It's done."

The guards all vaporized into a black dust and faded away into nothing.

Hopefully with the guards dead, that meant that Victoria Nelson and/or Asteroth were both defeated, but she knew which result she wanted.

* * *

"No Celluci!" Henry shouted. "You can't do that do her! It will kill her!"

* * *

Vicki Nelson suddenly was in control of her own body and mind for the first time in a long time. She could feel as the vampire weapon, the Illuminasium Del Sol was attached to her chest as it was draining all of her demonic powers away.

But did she just hear whom she thought she had just heard?

Her eyes locked with the one that she had missed since he left her alone.

"Henry?" she called out his name.

"Vicki!" he called out to her.

Her eyes turned to Mike and Coreen who stepped out into the open and looked to her as she was slowly fading into nothing.

"Thank you," she mumbled and collapsed onto her chest with a powerful thud.

* * *

Mike and Coreen went to Vicki and put her on her back. Though she had just tried to kill them, they were wondering if she was going to be OK.

The Illuminasium Del Sol suddenly glowed brightly in her chest to where it vanished. Blood began to leak from the open wounds.

"What happened to it?" she asked.

"Must have had too much power for it to store," he replied. "Vicki," he called her name, lightly shaking her. "Vick."

She checked for a pulse. "Mike, she's got no pulse."

Mike checked as well and to could not feel anything coming from Vicki. "Oh no," he prayed. She can't be dead. Had Fitzroy been right? The Del Sol was not meant to be used on her. Could they have killed her?

"Fitzroy!" he shouted.

* * *

Henry came over and was looking to the bleeding wound from Vicki's chest. His fingers stroked through the blood. "Oh god," he whispered. "Vicki," he tried calling her name. "I told you that we can't use this on Vicki!" he shouted. "She's dying because you did not listen to me!"

"Well ex-cuse me," Mike replied, "but if it was a choice of Coreen being deep fried or Vicki losing her powers, I think I know what I would have done if having to choose again."

They both suddenly heard ominous laughter and it was coming from Asteroth who was slowly sitting back on his knees and getting back to his feet. He had his sword in hand.

"Thank you," the demon said.

"For what?" Coreen said. "We just shattered your entire plan for world domination to pieces. Why is that a good thing?"

"Because now my powers are no longer split in between the city, controlling your precious Victoria, and myself," Asteroth told them. "I have all my powers to myself…and you and I Master Vampire, we still have a score to settle." He pointed the sword out at him.

Henry growled and allowed his entire vampire side to be revealed.

He was right.

This battle was going to end here…and now!

* * *

 _Will Vicki be all right? Will Henry and Asteroth finish their battle or will a victor be crowned? You will have to read on to find out._


End file.
